Fixing Past Mistakes
by DebsTheSlytherinSnapefan
Summary: Harry didn't appear at Hogwarts causing concern. Albus immediately head's out to Privet Drive to find out what was going on, along with Minerva and a reluctant Severus Snape. What they find out changes everything for everyone in the wizarding world. Is there a chance for anyone to go back and fix past mistakes? is there any hope at all for the magical world? cover pic - Harry's cub
1. Chapter 1

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 1**

**Missing Boy-Who-Lived**

* * *

><p>The new first-years of Hogwarts were standing beside the head table, all waiting half-eagerly, half-terrified. The rumours were going rampant, from them having to face trolls to performing magic. It was extremely nerve-wracking, especially for the Muggleborn students. They didn't know any magic; what if they did have to perform it, and in front of all these people? They listened to the song curiously. Most of the older students didn't bother listening, having already head it once before, and had no desire to do so again, apart from a select few.<p>

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,  
>But don't judge on what you see<br>I'll eat myself if you can find  
>A smarter hat than me.<p>

"You can keep your bowlers black,  
>Your top hats sleek and tall,<br>For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
>And I can cap them all.<p>

"There's nothing hidden in your head  
>The Sorting Hat can't see,<br>So try me on and I will tell you  
>Where you ought to be.<p>

"You might belong in Gryffindor,  
>Where dwell the brave at heart,<br>Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
>Set Gryffindors apart;<p>

"You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
>Where they are just and loyal,<br>Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
>And unafraid of toil;<p>

"Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
>If you've a ready mind,<br>Where those of wit and learning,  
>Will always find their kind;<p>

"Or perhaps in Slytherin  
>You'll make your real friends,<br>Those cunning folk use any means  
>To achieve their ends.<p>

"So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
>And don't get in a flap!<br>You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
>For I'm a Thinking Cap!"<p>

Then their names were called one by one. Relief flowing through everyone, a particular red-headed boy muttered in the crowd, 'I'm going to kill Fred and George' as the hat shouted out the wizards' and witches' new houses. Hermione Granger, a Muggleborn, turned to face Susan Bones and whispered, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in _Hogwarts, A History,"_ as if the witch didn't know. Susan nevertheless just nodded politely, inwardly amused.

They had to choose between four houses: Ravenclaw, where the studious and those with a thirst for knowledge went. Gryffindor, where the bold and courageous were housed; unnoticed at the head table, a certain black-clad Potions Master's lips curled in repugnance. Hufflepuff, where the loyal and supportive went, and last, but by no means least, Slytherin, where the cunning and those with a thirst to prove themselves were housed, as the hat had declared. One by one they all got sorted, but something then happened that hadn't happened before in the history of Hogwarts. A name was called…and no one stepped forward, and not just anyone either.

"Harry Potter!" Minerva McGonagall shouted, as she read his name from the register, one of the names she'd been looking forward to calling for. Finally the next Potter heir was at Hogwarts, and soon he would be in Gryffindor like his father and grandfather before him. Concern began to churn in her gut as nobody came forward; her blue eyes surveyed the room, looking for any sign of a child who resembled his father. Was this a prank? She looked at the list and mentally calculated the names before trying to count the wave of black-robed students still standing waiting to be sorted.

Albus Dumbledore sat up straighter, his own eyes blazing with concern as the child didn't step forward. He was unprepared for this; had his aunt and uncle not gotten him to the station in time? Or had they stupidly thought nobody would come calling? He would have to investigate further; no doubt Harry Potter would be at Hogwarts before night's end. He relaxed back into his seat, sure in the knowledge Harry would be fine. "Continue, Minerva; I'm sure Mr. Potter has simply missed the train," he said loud enough for the students to hear, his lips twitching when he noticed they all calmed down. It was so easy to calm them down; pulling the wool over their eyes was much easier than people in the Ministry, but as always he succeeded.

"Of course," Minerva agreed, hiding her worry as she looked at the next name on the list before calling it out. The sorting continued without any further hitches, until the end of the list had been reached.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. To the incoming students, it is always good to see some new smiling faces. A few more words before we eat: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!" Dumbledore joyfully cried, as every student sat at a table, their houses decided. He sat back down, and was immediately drawn into a conversation with Minerva.

"Do you think it is something as simple as missing the train?" Minerva asked with her lips pursed, "I always said they were the worst sort of Muggles."

"He is fine, Minerva," Albus placated. "If something had gone wrong, I would know; trust me," he soothed; inwardly though, he wasn't as confident as he appeared.

"Very well," Minerva said, having no choice but to trust the Headmaster, as she had done all those long years ago when Harry had been placed upon the Dursleys' doorstep. She had no idea she would heavily regret not insisting further and checking up on the small child herself. To say it was a tense dinner for a few teachers would be putting it mildy; even Flitwick was slightly worried. Considering that Lily had been his favourite student, they shouldn't be surprised―and she hadn't even been in Ravenclaw.

Minerva stood, clinking her glass, gaining the attention of the students now that the feast was finally finished.

"The forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. Our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you all that no magic should be used in the corridors between classes. Quidditch trials will be conducted during the second week of term. Anyone interested should see Madam Hooch. And lastly, the third floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to all who do not wish to die a very painful death." Headmaster Dumbledore's voice had turned serious on the warning. "And now the school song!" he said beaming happily as though he hadn't just been speaking about students facing a 'very painful death'.

The prefects took the first-years out of the Great Hall first, taking them to their common room and helping them settle in for the night. Only after allowing a ten-minute head start, did the other students, from second year to seventh, move and make their way slowly up to the stairs, giving them enough time for the youngest students to be in their dorms.

"Severus, Minerva, follow me if you please," Albus said as soon as the last students removed themselves from the hall.

"I have new students to greet; I will not start pandering to Potter's every whim," Severus sneered, infuriated that the boy was already receiving special treatment. They did not go running after every student who failed to appear at Hogwarts, when it was clearly stated how and when to be there—although such a thing hadn't happened before in all his years of teaching at Hogwarts.

"Severus, I'm not in the mood to argue with you; now please follow me," Dumbledore grimly said. Normally he'd just manipulate the conversation to get his way, but he was too worried today

"Very well," Severus conceded, gritting his teeth in anger; however, he did notice that Minerva didn't defend Harry. She was obviously extremely worried about him. He rolled his eyes heavenward; their worry was probably for naught. Potter probably believed he was too special to go by train. The image of Potter waiting in his house for them to come to him made him shudder in contempt. No, he wasn't going to pander to Potter's every whim; he'd quickly learn he was nobody special.

* * *

><p>The trip from the school was made in silence, although Severus wondered why they weren't just using a Portkey or Fawkes. It certainly would have been faster than the coach they took. The time was spent in tense silence, their bodies exuding worry and fear, and Severus just barely withheld his sneer. They were just playing right into Potter's hands; his lips twitched at the knowledge he'd be able to give the boy detention and take points away before being sorted ― a new record for him. Stepping out the coach in Hogsmeade, only then did Severus realise he wasn't privy to where Potter lived.<p>

"Where are we going?" Severus snapped, irritated.

"I shall Side-along Apparate you, Severus," Minerva said. She knew where they were going; Severus, on the other hand, did not. Once again she was not responding to Snape's ire ― she truly did fear the worst right now.

Severus didn't even bother replying as they disappeared, their insides feeling as though they had been sucked through the tube. They appeared on the darkened street of Privet Drive. Albus didn't waste a second as he began to stalk up to the garden of Number four, a destination he hadn't forgotten, or would be likely ever to forget.

"Do you notice something?" Severus asked, cautiously drawing his wand and clutching it tightly in his hand.

"What?" Minerva asked, staring blankly at Severus, not understanding what he was getting at.

"The wards; you told me there were wards around Potter's home," Severus said bluntly. "I cannot feel anything, not even a single charm." He could sense dark magic better than light, but since blood wards were considered 'dark,' he should have been able to feel them long before he stood at the front door of Potter's home. For the first time since this trip started, he began to feel a slither of worry crawling up his spine. He was naturally a suspicious person; it came with the territory of being a spy, so the feeling was nothing new. What if the Death Eaters had gotten to the boy? Just because they had been inactive, it didn't make them any less dangerous. In fact, it made them even more hazardous, in his opinion.

"You are right," Minerva said. Catching up with the Headmaster she asked him, "Albus, is it possible they moved?"

"No. I told her they must remain here; it was vital for the blood protection to function fully," Dumbledore replied, knocking on the door, uncaring that it was so late at night. He relaxed when lights came on, sure that everything would be explained.

"Yes?" asked a short plump woman, staring at them from the narrow opening of her door, cautiously.

"I'm sorry…may I speak to Petunia Dursley, ma'am?" Albus asked kindly. His twinkle was absent as he stared at the woman who reminded him of Madam Malkin.

"Oh, I'm afraid that's not possible; they no longer live here," Alexandria said.

"Excuse me?" Albus gasped in shock, rearing back as if he'd been struck. She had moved against his explicit instructions on the importance of blood wards?

"Did they leave a forwarding address by any chance?" Minerva asked, her voice trembling.

"They are in prison," Alexandria said. "I'm sorry I cannot help any more; goodbye." She closed her door abruptly, shuddering; there was just something about those three people. She quickly put the lock on and the chain, keeping her home as secure as possible, unaware that, if they had wished, they could have undone it all with one little word.

"Prison?" Albus murmured. What on earth had Petunia done? Was Harry in the Muggle child-care system? Or with his uncle? It would make matters much worse.

"Minerva, did a letter address itself to Mr. Potter?" Albus asked after a few seconds of stunned silence.

"You know I don't read them," Minerva said; she used a quill to sign them and that was all.

"Perhaps Arabella might shed some light on the situation," Albus suggested.

"If they are in prison, we may get answers quicker if you investigate at the police station," Severus offered.

"If Arabella cannot shed light on it, then you can investigate it," Albus said.

Severus bit his lip. He had meant Dumbledore to do it, but Dumbledore had given it back to him; typical, leaving him all his dirty work to do. He didn't bother arguing with the Headmaster, aware that he would just be manipulated into it. Oh, he knew Albus was as sly as they came, and was always cautious of how much he revealed to the old man.

With a plan now in mind, they swiftly made their way towards Wisteria Walk. Dumbledore looked out of place in his colourful robes; meanwhile Severus and Minerva blended into the night with their dark-coloured ones. There was hardly a light on along the street, just a few upstairs lights still on. Dumbledore impatiently knocked on Arabella's door; his heart was pounding like a drum― he hadn't expected this at all. He didn't do well when his plans fell to pieces; just what had Petunia done? The blood wards were important. He had to get her out of prison, and Potter back in her custody quickly. He couldn't care less what she had done; he was curious where her husband was. He seemed to forget the 'THEY' in the sentence the woman had spoken just a few minutes earlier.

He was quickly stumped when a young woman answered the door. This was the house he'd assigned to Arabella, so what the hell was going on? He was utterly baffled and he did not like it in the slightest. "May I speak to Arabella Figg please?" Dumbledore asked, the strain he was feeling bleeding through.

"I'm sorry, you have the wrong house," she said before closing her door.

"Are you sure this is the correct address, Albus?" Minerva asked, panic and fear lacing her voice.

"It is," Albus confirmed, now terrified.

"What do we do now?" Minerva whispered.

"Severus, find out what you can here. Minerva and I will go back to Hogwarts and find the address for Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said, deeply unimpressed and troubled.

"Very well," Severus grudgingly agreed, Apparating from the street. The only sound he made was a little pop like that associated with a backfiring car.

* * *

><p>"Sign here, and I'll buzz you in," the officer said, passing over a pen and a clipboard after inspecting Severus' ID card and finding nothing wrong with it. It was more than his job was worth if he let someone pass who wasn't supposed to be here.<p>

Severus quickly signed his 'fake' name ―the one he'd used on the ID card― and with that he was buzzed in and entered the evidence locker to get the file box. The room was bigger than the Great Hall, so it took some time searching before he finally found the box he was looking for. Gazing around he found stairs, and moved them to the area he needed; the box he wanted was directly above him. He didn't want to do magic here; it was just too risky, especially with all the people around. Yanking the box out of the shelf, he began to trek back down and made his way over to a table. Finally, after two hours of hunting, he'd know just what Petunia and Vernon Dursley had done. He, unlike Albus, had caught what the woman had said. Opening the box, he withdrew the files; opening them, he immediately gagged in horror at what he was seeing. He closed his eyes, but the image was still burned in his retinas, never to be removed—unless, that is, he used a spell to remove it, which he was seriously tempted to do.

"Merlin help us," Severus murmured. He'd seen a lot as a Death Eater, but this just topped it all. Burned into his memory was a picture of a three-year-old boy who had been starved to death. Harry Potter was dead, and Petunia and Vernon Dursley were in prison for his murder. The official cause of death: rickets, starvation, abuse…the list was endless, really. Severus placed everything back in the box, unable to look at it anymore. His stomach was rebelling against the food he'd eaten at the feast.

Slumping to the floor, he closed his eyes, tears burning in those overly bright obsidian eyes. He felt as if he was losing Lily all over again, and in a way he was. Harry had been his sole reason for living, keeping himself alive to protect the last thing of Lily's on this earth. What else did he have to live for? Teaching snot-nosed brats how to brew precious potions? Not much of a reason to him, who loathed teaching.

He had failed.

The last thing of Lily's was gone.

* * *

><p>Big thank you to Jake and Jordre for editing this story!<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 2**

**Devastating News**

* * *

><p>It was a good job no student decided to leave their common room that night; if they had, they would have come across a very different Minerva McGonagall than they were used to. The fear she felt so deeply was displayed across her face as she hurried to her office, which was adjacent to her classroom, as were those of all the teachers who taught at Hogwarts. Albus displayed nothing but calmness as he followed his Deputy Headmistress to her classroom, so sure everything would work out. He was positive this was just a misunderstanding, although he would be having a word with Petunia when he got his hands on her. Hopefully Severus would find out which prison she was in so he could Obliviate the necessary people and get the woman out and Harry back in her custody.<p>

"Minerva, is everything alright?" Filius asked as he came across them, Pomona Sprout close behind him, eyeing them in concern when there was no sign of the eleven-year-old child.

"No, not really," Minerva said as she opened her office door, then hastily made her way towards the file drawers to fish out the acceptance letters and the replies. There were fifty in total to go through, and they were in no particular order. She handed half the bundle to Dumbledore without a word. Then hastily but carefully she began to go through them, making sure not to miss a student's name. Hermione Granger, Padma Patil, Draco Malfoy, Susan Bones, Parvati Patil, Ronald Weasley, Gregory Goyle…the list continued until she had read through twenty-six of them. None of them were Harry Potter. Then she turned to face Dumbledore, who was currently still going through his stack, her heart hammering furiously in her chest.

"Minerva, I assume you were unsuccessful in finding Mr. Potter?" Filius asked, staring up at the witch with concern of his own.

"You are right," Minerva confirmed tersely. "He and his family have disappeared from the face of the earth."

"Would you like me to ask around the other magical schools? Perhaps they moved abroad?" Professor Sprout offered.

"His name was on the register," Minerva objected. "Surely it would have disappeared if he had accepted a place in another school?"

"Not if he's already paid for the tuition; magically he would belong at Hogwarts unless he signed documents otherwise," Filius disagreed. Surely Minerva should already know this? Then again, it didn't happen often; no student gave up the opportunity to attend Hogwarts. It was the best magic school in the United Kingdom; despite its claims to be the 'best magical school,' that wasn't accurate.

"I didn't think of that," Minerva admitted, her heart sinking further; what if something worse had happened?

"No letter has addressed itself to Harry," Albus said at last, placing the envelopes and letters on the desk, completely baffled and truly beginning to fear something had happened to the boy. This wasn't part of his plans! And he did not do well under pressure, despite looks to the contrary.

"What does that mean?" Professor Sprout asked in confusion.

Filius shook his head; he didn't know either.

"It means magic cannot find him," Dumbledore said, deeply troubled.

"So we won't be able to locate him either?" Minerva asked, sinking into her seat. "What about Arabella Figg?"

Albus was about to reply when smoke appeared at Minerva's door, which then took the shape of a beautiful white doe. It trotted over to them, gracefully and self-aware; then a voice spoke from it. "I'm in the Great Hall. Where are you?" The voice was that of Professor Severus Snape, but there was an odd note to it that neither Minerva nor Filius had heard before. Both heads of houses stared at one another in concern; it couldn't be good if Severus of all people sounded odd. Severus never allowed emotions to dictate to him, unless the 'Marauders' came up. Neither Albus nor Sprout seemed to be troubled by the voice, almost as if they didn't know the Potions Master well enough—which might be true; Severus didn't get on well with many members of the staff, possibly because they had all taught him, and for years it had been awkward.

"Shall we go and meet him?" asked Albus. He wanted to head to his office, in all honesty. He felt a desperate need to take his anger out on something, then chew on a dozen lemon drops to calm himself down, so he could think about this rationally.

"Very well," Minerva said, slamming her drawer shut. Then she walked towards the door, keeping up her previous erratic pace. She sent a Patronus Severus' way, to let him know they were coming to him.

"I must check on my badgers," Sprout said, veering away, despite her curiosity. There were always a few of them homesick, and her loyalty was to them.

* * *

><p>Severus, from where he was still crouched on the floor, brought his hand to his face and touched it almost in disbelief. There weren't many times when he'd cried during his life; in fact, he could probably count them on one hand: when he'd screwed up with Lily; when she had been killed; the day after her death; the first Halloween after they'd died; and, of course, right now. Crying served no purpose; it didn't help make his life easier, so what was the point? Swallowing thickly, he hastily wiped away the tears. For once he wasn't cursing his lack of self-control, after what he'd learned, even he wasn't heartless.<p>

Looking around he saw nobody nearby; he unobtrusively flicked his wand at the box, copying the entire contents. Shrinking the copy, he placed it in his pocket with one swift movement; blink and you would have missed it. As always when magic was performed, the Muggle electronics went crazy. The CCTV, of course, went fuzzy, preventing magic from being caught on video.

Taking a deep breath, he exhaled calmly. He almost wanted to run away as far and as fast as possible. He did not want to be the one to share this news with the others at Hogwarts. Unfortunately, he was a man of honour and pride. He hadn't run when the war was at its worst, or while spying; he wasn't about to shirk his duties now. He tried desperately not to think about the child, knowing it would just bring him to his knees again. Picking up the box, he returned it to its previous place, whispering a silent apology to the little boy he'd so grievously wronged.

He stood there silently a few seconds longer, uncaring that the boy couldn't hear him, wouldn't hear him, but having to get it out. Stepping back down the steps, he made his way out of the room, stopping only to press the button causing the buzzer to make a noise. The guard kept the door unlocked, giving him just enough time to exit the evidence room.

"Find everything you needed?" the officer enquired, looking up from his newspaper.

"I did indeed, thank you," Severus distractedly answered, playing the part without thought.

"Anything to sign out?" the guard then asked.

"Nothing," Severus said; nodding grimly, he left the guard station before the Muggle could say anything else. Before long, Severus had left the building altogether. He finally understood why the arresting officer hadn't wanted to talk about it― who would? It was horrifying. He still didn't know about Figg or why she'd disappeared... unless she had been arrested as well.

Severus crossed the street and went into the side alley, walking swiftly up it until he was half way through it. From where he stood, he could see a church and its adjoining graveyard. A sharp poignant pain sliced through him, before he forcefully erected his shields, stopping himself from thinking or truly feeling what he should be. He winced at the additional pain this caused him, but it was better than the turmoil inside. Once assured that nobody was around, he Apparated to Hogwarts, arriving just beyond the wards. He could have called a coach, but right now he couldn't face being in one. His own thoughts earlier just made the situation ten times worse. To say his outlook on life had taken a turn was putting it bloody mildly.

Seven minutes later he stalked up the steps of the school's entrance, his masks firmly back in place. Flicking his wand, he sent his Patronus off when he noticed that the people he needed to tell weren't in the Great Hall. He had a good idea where they could be, but he didn't want to traipse all over the school looking for them. There were probably only two places they would be: Minerva's office, or Dumbledore's office.

"Leave," Severus curtly ordered the house elves that were currently cleaning the floor and tables of the Great Hall. Giving the teacher startled squeaks, they left immediately, cowed by his attitude.

He was unsurprised by the Patronus that came into the hall; he was, however, surprised it was Minerva who replied to his message. It was the same image as the witch's Animagus form, a tabby cat, as everyone found out upon their first day of Transfiguration. Minerva was set in her ways; she hadn't changed her schedules in a long time, and always surprised the students by changing from her Animagus form, looking for troublemakers.

"We will be with you in five minutes," it said; then, having delivered its message, it disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Severus removed the box and returned it to its original size. He couldn't bring himself to open it; seeing it once had been more than enough for him. He placed it on the table in front of him ―ironically enough, it was the Gryffindor table― as he waited with trepidation for them to arrive. He resisted the urge to sit down; instead he wrapped his arms across his chest, standing still. It felt as though time itself was also standing still, but of course the doors opening disproved that theory.

Minerva was first to reach the doors; opening them, she strode into the hall. The breath left her lungs as she caught sight of Severus. He was no longer angry, that was for damn sure; in fact, the way he stood reminded her of a time years before. It didn't take long for her to connect the dots; she might be Gryffindor, but the Sorting Hat had struggled between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw for five minutes before finally deciding. She was extremely smart and had gained Outstandings for all her subjects. This was not good.

"What did you find out, Severus?" Dumbledore asked, overtaking both Filius and Minerva and striding towards Severus joyfully. What had Petunia done to end up in prison? Where were Vernon, Dudley, and Harry? At least wherever they were, the blood wards were still possible, since he'd been living with his cousin, which technically was still his mother's blood. Well, with a bit of luck, Severus already had answers to his questions.

Filius and Minerva turned to stare at each other half surprised, half saddened. Dumbledore didn't even seem to pick up on Severus' mood, which was unlike him; he normally knew what people were feeling. Dumbledore had always been observant that way; of course they didn't stop to think that perhaps it had something to do with him snooping into people's minds whenever he liked. Attentively both of them watched Severus, wary of what they were about to hear.

"Severus? Where is Petunia Dursley?" Dumbledore demanded when the Potions Master didn't reply.

"As the Muggle said, she's in prison," Severus said slowly, his thoughts chaotic.

"Which prison? We need to retrieve her at once; it's vital Harry has the full use of the blood wards' protection," Dumbledore said firmly.

"Harry won't be getting the use of anything," Severus sighed, opening the box and holding out the file.

"What?" Dumbledore asked, his voice going low and dangerous, before he blindly sat down, his face a mask of guilty terror. No, this wasn't possible; this wasn't what he had planned. Potter couldn't die! He'd survived Voldemort, he should have been able to survive his aunt and uncle. The words he'd read in Lily's will came back to haunt him. Lily had demanded that under no circumstances was Harry to be placed with her sister and brother-in-law, for fear that they would kill her son out of fear ― they hated magic. His plans had backfired big-time. His blue eyes wildly looked around, trying to figure out how to get out of this situation he'd gotten himself into. No, Severus had to be toying with him; the boy had survived the killing curse, he could survive anything the Muggles threw at him. He'd be at Hogwarts, maybe not healthy and happy, but alive.

Minerva took the file from Severus' numb fingers; flipping it open, she began reading the information. She didn't want to think she knew what Severus meant. She prayed that she had gotten the wrong end of the stick. However her hopes were dashed, her eyes getting wider until tears filled them and flooded down her face.

"Don't!" Severus said, trying to grab the file, to stop her from seeing the terrible pictures.

Minerva made the mistake of not listening, flipping the page over. She slammed it closed, unable to help her reaction if she'd tried; the fabulous feast she'd enjoyed just hours earlier rained down on the clean floor. She continued gagging as a bucket was conjured and placed under her chin, as Filius guided her towards the nearest Gryffindor bench and sat her down.

"I warned you not to look," Severus tiredly said, without his usual superior attitude.

"Here you go," Filius said handing her a mint and a tissue, then patting at her back trying to give some form of comfort to the devastated witch. "Harry is dead, isn't he?" That was the only conclusion to be drawn from Minerva's current state. He hadn't been able to see the folder; he only came up to Minerva's knees, for heaven's sake.

Albus felt his heart pounding erratically against his ribcage. What was he going to do? His hopes, or rather his delusions, were dashed. Potter was dead; nothing short of that could cause Minerva to break down in such a manner. Merlin, it took everything in him not to be sick either. There was nothing for it; all he could do was limited damage control. Unless it had happened recently and he used a Time Turner... as long as it had been less than a week, there was enough twist in the device.

Severus just nodded, his black eyes showing his inner turmoil where his face did not.

"What happened?" Filius asked; he absolutely refused to look at the file.

"Good question; Albus?" Severus asked, turning to stare impassively at the Headmaster. "Didn't you inform us you had checked upon Harry at least once a year?" He decided against repeating what the headmaster had told him― spoiled, his backside. Or rather, Dumbledore had informed Minerva; Snape had just happened to overhear a time or two.

Minerva gasped when she realized the truth in that statement.

"I must admit, I did not check upon him personally, but I had Arabella Figg keeping watch, ensuring Harry was safe and happy," Albus answered, not feigning his devastation, but hiding his guilt behind his mind shields; he could not let Snape find out. He would lose his spy and his Potions Master, both things that were difficult to come by. And not just Snape, either. Minerva would walk too; he knew that she had adored the Potters for some reason.

"Did she ever get in touch?" Filius asked cautiously, feeling wary; both Minerva and Severus were glaring ferociously at Dumbledore. He felt the urge to grab his wand just in case any of them started something, but that was irrational…he thought.

"Of course; I heard from her every year," Albus said, lying to save himself, swallowing thickly; his mind was whirling as he stood staring up at the magically enchanted ceiling. What was he going to do? The only one destined to defeat Voldemort was dead; he had doomed the entire world by placing the boy with those Muggles. He had to act fast; first he had to get to Gringotts and get the Potters' will to disappear, and then forge letters from Figg... Without Potter, he might be the only one left able to defeat Voldemort. He couldn't go down for this, his reputation would suffer as it was, and they all knew he had placed Harry there in the first place. He couldn't even look at his teachers, and the worst thing was... it was only going to go from bad to worse. As much as he wished he could keep it from the Ministry and the public, it wasn't going to be possible.

* * *

><p>Big thank you to Jake and Jordre for editing this story!<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 3**

**Dumbledore Trying To Knit With Only One Needle - Unravelling Fast, It's True**

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><p>"Really? When did you receive the last letter?" Severus asked. If Dumbledore had dared to look at his Potions Master, he would have seen his obsidian eyes glittering darkly. He was baiting a trap for the Headmaster; he had read enough of the files to know if the old fool wasn't being entirely truthful. He had put up with Albus manipulating him for years, using his unrequited love for Lily to enforce his compliance in everything. Now it was time for the tables to turn, and for Dumbledore to see just how much of a Slytherin he, Severus Snape, actually was compared to him. Everyone underestimated him, when they really shouldn't. Severus hadn't been able to keep his position as one of the 'elite' Death Eaters by being stupid. He could spin the truth right, left, and centre, and come out smelling like daises… or rather a potion ingredient ― which was what he normally smelt of.<p>

"It has been at least a year," Dumbledore admitted, his brow puckering as he apparently thought about it. Inwardly, though, he was just a mass of panic. What had happened to Figg if Harry was dead? Had she abandoned her post? Had something happened to her that caused her to move? He perhaps should have given it a longer time, but it was as simple as writing a few letters in Arabella's handwriting. Nobody should question him too closely for a few days, as they all mourned the loss of their saviour. It would be a few days before they were out for blood; he would have to make sure they understood there could be no retaliation against the Dursleys. It would only cause the exposure of the magical world, something he couldn't allow.

"Really?" Severus repeated, his hands trembling at his suppressed rage. Dumbledore hadn't been looking out for Harry at all. In a roundabout way, Albus Dumbledore had, in fact, caused him to break the vow he'd sworn all those years ago. He didn't even touch on his own thoughts over the years, which were by-products of Dumbledore's conversations with Minerva. "Only a year?"

"Severus?" Minerva asked, her voice still trembling, yet still she noticed his fury. "_Expelliarmus!_" she added, grabbing his wand out of thin air; he had been ready to attack the Headmaster. His anger turned onto her, which admittedly made her wary; she'd never seen him so livid before. She kept her wand in her hand, ready to stun him if it became necessary.

Filius bravely stood in front of both of them, stopping any physical attempts. Or so he hoped; he really wouldn't like to be trampled by a furious wizard. Severus evidently knew something they didn't, and judging by the topic, it was something to do with this Figg, who had been tasked with watching over Harry Potter. He was the only wizard here that didn't know any of the details. All he knew was that Harry had been sent to his only remaining family after the night his parents had died.

Filius noticed the folder on the floor, sitting there innocently, but it was far from innocent. The contents had reduced the most composed witch he knew, no matter the circumstances, to lose the contents of her stomach and cry. Not even on that Halloween night had she cried, except perhaps in the privacy of her quarters, but she'd kept her head together in front of the students. He was extremely divided; on the one hand he wanted to know what Severus had been getting at, and on the other he didn't want to see what had caused Minerva so much anguish. Closing his eyes, he picked the file up and opened the folder, his eyes roaming over the first sheet, then the second, successfully avoiding the pictures. Then he finally understood Severus' wrathful glares. "Oh, dear Merlin!" he cried, slamming the file closed as well, staring at Albus Dumbledore in complete disbelief. He stood back, he certainly wouldn't care if Severus cursed Dumbledore right now.

"Filius?" Minerva asked, completely dazed; she was in information overload, and the worst thing was, tonight wasn't over.

"I don't believe it," Filius murmured; such a respected wizard lying in such a manner regarding Lily's son's death, was completely sickening and sordid.

Albus flinched at the look Filius was giving him, glad he wasn't on his feet, since he was feeling dizzy and weak. His plans had fallen apart in front of him. Judging by the look his Charms teacher was giving him, he'd already screwed up somehow. He had to end this meeting, get all the facts, and then make a plan and put it into action.

"Don't believe what?" Minerva demanded, panicky.

"He's referring to the fact that Albus Dumbledore, head of the Wizengamot, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, is nothing but a common, vulgar, little liar," Severus snarled, his eyes looking more like black tunnels.

"According to this file, Arabella Figg was murdered by Petunia Dursley," Filius Flitwick said. "Having letters from her would be impossible; both Harry and Arabella have been dead for _eight years."_ They had starved a three-year-old boy to death, Merlin help him; he felt so disgusted and sick.

"Excuse me," Albus said, now pasty-white as he swiftly left the Great Hall without looking back, ignoring the dizziness. Alternative plans he'd begun thinking about were already for naught. He had to take swift action; first he had to Obliviate his staff, ensuring they didn't remember that conversation. Given that they were all Masters in their own respective fields, he had to catch them alone and quickly. It was a question of what to do first, go to Gringotts and get the will, or wait until they were in their offices or quarters. No, the first thing he had to do was grab a calming draught; his heart was pounding too quickly, his breathing was ragged, and he was finding it difficult to breathe. It had nothing to do with walking, since he never usually had that problem. He was having a panic attack, and he refused to let anyone see such a thing.

Harry Potter was dead. It was his fault; what if the Dark Lord took over? The world he so badly wanted to shape to his preferred image would be gone. His mind drifted; he could almost see the students lying around outside the school, dying on the grass, teachers falling while trying to defend them, Hogwarts crumbling in fire and ruin, a blackened ruin with Voldemort standing over it cackling insanely, with the pureblood students forced into slavery. His vision blackened as he felt darkness descending upon him; out of sheer force of will, he stopped himself from fainting.

Holding onto the wall, he used that to guide him along the hall, wheezing even more; he felt as though his heart were being crushed. His right arm grabbed onto his left, as pain radiated from his chest to his arm. He was finally forced to stop, unable to continue; his breaths were short and slow as he tried to regain control of himself. The opposite happened; he emptied the contents of his stomach onto the floor, and in much the same manner as Minerva had, although without anyone there to help him.

Flicking his wand with his right hand and cleaning up the mess, he looked around wearily, praying nobody had seen his weakness. Coughing feebly, he took one more step before he fell to the floor, unable to support his own body any longer . As he clutched at his heart, he couldn't keep from moaning in agony. Unable to form a coherent sentence, he tried to say the name of a house elf, any house elf to help him; fear beginning to get the better of him. "Resh!" Albus finally managed to murmur, but he wasn't sure if he was successful in summoning aid; at that very moment his sight dimmed, and he lost consciousness.

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><p>"Dead?" Minerva echoed, clutching her heart, her blue eyes filled with betrayal the likes of which she'd never experienced before. She'd trusted the headmaster, against her better judgement; she'd seen how that little boy demanded things from his mother! They were the worst sort of Muggles she'd ever seen in her life. She had been lied to; a man she respected greatly had been lying to her for years.<p>

Severus handed her an opened calming draught, without saying anything to her. She looked as if she was seconds away from having a panic attack. Given how close both Minerva and Dumbledore were, and how long they'd been friends, it was no surprise. She had always been the first person to defend the old fool, something which she probably regretted deeply right now.

"How many have you had?" Minerva asked after a few seconds of silence, giving the potion a chance to get round her system. Noticing Filius picking up the file once more, she looked away, not wanting to see the pictures again.

"Two," Severus bluntly said. It was how he had such great control, and how he had stopped himself from using the spell he'd specifically created for men like him: Enemies. Dumbledore wouldn't have survived if he had used it, since he wouldn't, under any circumstances, have uttered the counter curse.

"According to this, Arabella was the one to raise the alarm; she called the police, then confronted Petunia Dursley. The woman confessed to hitting her over the head with a frying pan; between blunt-force trauma and a heart attack, she was dead by the time the police got there. They found Petunia wrapping her in plastic, hysterically talking to her husband at work. It wasn't until they started combing the house that they found Harry's body, in a cupboard under the stairs!" Filius said, wide-eyed. The interview transcripts were amongst the papers in the folder, including the ones from the courthouse.

"Look further down. She mentioned magic; of course they assumed she was trying to get off with a lighter sentence by using the insanity plea. They shot her attempt down quite quickly, but it is concerning that nobody picked up on it," Severus said grimly.

"She only got ten years?!" Filius shrieked, gaping at the words as if suspecting they would change. She had murdered two people, an older woman and a young boy, and she'd only got ten years! It was inconceivable to him. "Vernon Dursley will be getting released any day now; he only received eight years."

"That's if she doesn't get out early for good behaviour," Severus added in disgust.

"Good behaviour?" Filius asked in bafflement. Why would that allow them to go free? It made no logical sense to him.

"Things are different in the Muggle world, Filius; most prisoners only serve half their sentence, before they are free to go," Severus said tiredly, as he too sat down on the bench. His body just screamed for sleep. It had been a long day to begin with.

"But why?" Filius demanded, goggling at Severus. He was half-tempted to call Severus a liar; there was no way any court or system should let people out after serving only half their sentence. Ten years; that woman would be out in two more years after taking the life of a three-year-old boy?

"Do neither of you ever spend time in the Muggle world?" Severus asked, staring at the two stumped teachers.

"I've never really been back there since I graduated Hogwarts," Minerva admitted.

"I have never stepped foot in the Muggle world," the Charms teacher confessed; given what he was hearing, he was rather glad for that.

Severus nodded, not surprised, "The Muggle justice system is more…one could say humane; they have laws regarding the treatment of their people. To some it's better in prison; they get all the food they want, exercise, fresh air, even an education or taking a course which is supposed to help them get a job when they are released," Severus told them quietly, still sitting down. "There is only one good thing about her being there: Muggle prisoners treat child-killers and rapists harshly, and they do not have a good time behind bars…if they survive it."

"R-rapists?" Minerva asked, her voice trembling.

"He wasn't," Severus immediately said, understanding her terror.

"So they just get a free run?" Filius asked in disgust.

"Basically," Severus said sighing resignedly. "She received a better sentence than I expected."

"Excuse me?" Filius asked alarmed.

"I read about the case of a little boy who was tortured and killed by his mother and her boyfriend. He was removed from her care for abuse twice, but ended up being sent back each time. He was visited multiple times by Child Services and doctors. A while later, he was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead. His mother received the minimum of five years as her sentence, and only served four. He had a broken back, broken arms, missing fingernails... it was gruesome. It certainly makes my parents look like angels," Severus replied blankly. He didn't know what to do. His mission in life was over; what good was it to go on living now? Sooner or later the Dark Lord would come back, and he'd be forced to spy until he was found out and disposed of.

"Please stop," Minerva said, looking ready to be sick again.

"I'm sorry, Minerva; that was rather callous of me," Severus quietly said.

"What do we do? I suppose we have to inform the Ministry," Filius suggested. The students were going to be devastated; they all knew who Harry was, and that he was supposed to be here. The pureblood students were going to have even more reason for hating Muggles. He himself wasn't fond of them after what he'd learned; thank Merlin their worlds were separated.

"I don't think I can," Minerva said, pained, "I will leave that to Albus, and it's his duty anyway."

"You think he's going to?" Severus scornfully asked. "If he isn't already trying to figure out a way to cover it up, I'll eat my potion vials."

"We already know; he cannot cover it up," Filius said.

"Do you really believe that?" Severus asked doubtfully.

"After what I just learned, I actually do not know," Filius admitted.

"It's going to be bedlam tomorrow," Minerva said. Poor Harry! How was she going to live with herself? Why hadn't she gone to see him? She'd known deep down they were wrong; why hadn't she bloody listened to herself? And how dare Dumbledore lie to her for years about him, saying he was well looked-after, and that he had seen him receive over thirty presents on his birthday. "Where is he, Severus? Where's Harry?" Minerva asked, tears flooding down her face again. She was barely able to stop herself from sobbing like a little girl.

Severus stared at her in confused pain until he realized what she was asking, "I truly do not know…without family, I think they are buried in a cemetery that can do it for free. It will be difficult to find out, but I'm positive he will be in Surrey; it's just a matter of getting the Yellow Pages for the area and calling all the cemeteries in Surrey to find out," he said, swallowing thickly. Nobody had probably visited the small boy; his grave had been unvisited for eight years. He didn't know why, but that hurt him worse than anything else had up to this point. He had to stave off the tears, not wanting to lose his composure even in front of these trusted teachers.

"Yellow pages?" Filius asked quietly, patting at Minerva's back, his own eyes overly bright too.

"It has telephone numbers in it. It's how Muggles communicate, somewhat like our Floo system, but without fireplaces…they use electronics," Severus tried to explain. "It will be simple enough to buy a mobile phone to call around the cemeteries. The least we can do for Harry is to give him the magical burial he should have received. Give him a final resting place beside his mother." Severus couldn't have prevented the tear this time, but thankfully neither Minerva nor Filius said anything.

"Then let's go," Minerva said standing up, her face grim and determined.

"What?" Severus asked in surprise, taken aback.

"We are already eight years too late," Minerva said.

They all jerked up when they heard a Patronus message coming their way, "Minerva, Albus is in the Hospital wing, and he's suffering from a serious heart attack."

"It seems it may be up to you after all," Severus said.

"I will do it, Minerva; leave it to me. Go and bring our Mr. Potter back home. You are right: we are eight years too late, but at least he is with his parents now, and no longer in pain," Filius said, urging them to go, picking up the box with every intention of calling the Minister as soon as he got to his office.

"Do you have the yell-o pages?" asked Minerva.

"Yes," Severus said quietly, deciding not to correct her; not only was he too depressed, but extremely tired. He didn't even have it in him to sneer; his anger had faded fast, leaving him melancholy.

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><p>Big thank you to Jake and Jordre for editing this story!<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 4**

**Bringing Harry home**

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><p>Both Severus and Minerva Apparated to the Potions Master's summer residence, the run-down building he'd inherited from his parents. He had no phone line installed, or a phone come to that; he had nobody he cared to communicate with in the Muggle world. Severus simply walked into his living room, and unearthed a book from his small library. It was a Muggle book, one his mother had got him when he was ten, and it had been one of the few presents he'd received brand-new. Opening it, he found his secret stash of Muggle money; he spent three months here every summer while Hogwarts was closed― he did need to eat, and that required money. He took it all, unsure of how much it cost for the Muggle mobile phone devices. He'd never looked at them twice; admittedly there weren't many shops around here that sold them.<p>

"Severus, all the money you've made…why haven't you bought a more suitable residence?" Minerva asked as she looked around the dreary home.

"Why bother?" Severus bluntly replied. He had nobody in his life, which was fine with him; this place was fine for him. He bought nothing but potion items and ingredients, and other essentials he needed. The only things he bought for himself were books, and the occasional sweet when he wanted one. Growing up with nothing, he'd never felt the desire to buy useless items.

"Severus," Minerva sighed sadly. She knew he still grieved for Lily even now; Merlin knew how he truly felt about Harry's death. Part of her knew that on some level he'd been jealous of Harry, solely due to the fact that he was James' son. She partly understood how he felt; she'd loved once, but he'd been a Muggle, and she had seen herself becoming like her parents. Her mother had always been resentful that she had given up magic for her Muggle husband. Minerva hadn't wanted to make the same mistake, so she'd rejected the man's proposal. That summer she'd packed up and moved to the magical world full-time. She prayed inwardly that the man she'd rejected hadn't lived like this man before her. It was a rare thing these days, to find a man who loved one person so completely that he never moved on, not even ten years after she was gone. She could remember that night clearly; it had been the first time she'd seen underneath Severus' hard exterior to the real man beneath. Probably that had been the cause of all the drinking he'd done.

"Let's go," Severus said harshly, reacting defensively to the pity; he absolutely loathed anyone feeling sorry for him. He liked Minerva a lot; she'd been there for him at a time where he'd been one step above suicidal. That was probably the only reason he was still standing in the same room as her. Given a choice, Severus would have stalked away; unfortunately, these weren't normal circumstances.

"Severus, wait. I am sorry; I didn't mean to pry," Minerva said. She had already been through the emotional wringer tonight; she really didn't want to start anything with the Slytherin head of house.

"I did not mean to snap," Severus admitted, sighing tiredly, "Hold on; I'll take us to the only place that will be open at this hour." Since Minerva didn't come to the Muggle world often, she wouldn't know where to go.

Severus held onto Minerva, surprised by how frail and thin she felt. She'd always been thin, much like him, but this frailness reminded him of his mother. He Apparated them to Charing Cross, the only location he knew; stepping out, they mingled into the crowd, which was quite large, especially for this time of night. Severus removed his teaching robes and shrank them when they were out of view of passing pedestrian Muggles. Minerva, who had nothing but Wizarding robes on as clothing, merely cast a glamour spell on herself.

"How far is this shop?" Minerva asked eyeing the drunken party leaving a pub nearby.

"Not far," Severus said, as they crossed the road; the green lights soon came into view. It took them only ten minutes to get into Asda and buy the necessary item they sought; then Severus Apparated them back to his home in Spinner's End. There was no point to going back to Hogwarts, since Muggle electronics didn't work with all the wards and spells surrounding the area.

"Do you have any coffee or tea, Severus?" Minerva quietly asked, "Maybe with something stronger?"

Severus, who was raking under his table, searching for the yellow pages, looked up at her before answering. "Yes, but there is no electricity; you will have to use magic. Everything you need will be in the kitchen; the fridge has a preservation charm on it." That was so nothing put inside would go off, such as his dairy products, which would happen given he spent nine months of the year away. Ducking back under the table, Severus found the large yellow book and pulled it out. Sitting down, he began to sift through it, looking for funeral homes in Surrey. Unfortunately, a locating charm wouldn't work; that required active magic, which Harry didn't have... not anymore. His heart jerked painfully at that thought; he briefly closed his eyes before getting to work as Minerva puttered around in his kitchen. That felt admittedly odd― nobody came here, not even Lily when they were children; they'd always met at the park.

"Do you want a cup, Severus?" Minerva asked from the kitchen, just as the kettle whistled loudly; evidently she had already cast the heating charm.

"Yes," Severus replied as he dialled in the first number in the long list of cemeteries. Holding the phone to his ear he listened to it ring out before pressing end call. Calling another number, he got the same thing happening once more; they mustn't be open this late. "No luck; I think they are all closed for the evening."

Minerva passed over a cup, looking disheartened by the news. Severus could smell the whisky wafting from the cups. He drank his in two large gulps, breathing deeply; there had definitely been more whiskey than anything else in that cup. He couldn't even taste any coffee, and wondered if she had even bothered to put any in at all.

"It seems we will have to wait until tomorrow," Severus said. Even looking around a few of the closest ones wouldn't do. It was pitch-dark, and there was no guarantee they would find anything.

"It certainly looks as if we have no choice," admitted Minerva, sipping her drink, rubbing her hand over her face tiredly. There was nothing to be done; they might as well head back to Hogwarts and start anew tomorrow. Regardless of whether they could or couldn't find Harry tonight, it was still going to be a long evening. It was already going on midnight, she saw, much to her shock. With a bit of luck Filius would already be done with the Ministry; she couldn't deal with the hysterical Minister.

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><p>"Filius," Minerva called, stepping into the room to see it was currently occupied by more than just Filius himself. "I'm sorry to interrupt; I just wanted to let you know that I've returned, and to ask a question…but it can wait."<p>

"Ah, Minerva, please come in, we have a few questions we need to ask you," Amelia Bones said leaning forward, her monocle actually missing for once. Minerva wasn't used to seeing her without it; she didn't show how bothered she was as she entered the room. Severus followed her in quietly, but the glare on his face ensured that nobody said anything against him. He really was a sight to behold; his reputation of causing fear did the rest.

"Questions?" Minerva repeated, sitting down; honestly, she felt completely beat. Severus remained standing behind her, his eyes on everyone in the room. He recognized them all, unless he was mistaken: Cornelius Fudge, Minister of magic; Amelia Bones, head of the department of magical law enforcement; of course Scrimgeour, head of the Auror office; and Alastor Moody, the greatest Auror of his time. It was his understanding that Moody had just taken the Hufflepuff klutz Nymphadora Tonks on as his protégé.

"Yes," Fudge stuttered, fiddling with his bowler hat, his hands white with the grip he had on it. He was sweating profusely, unable to believe what was happening. This was mostly out of fear that it would backlash onto him, since he had reassured the public that Dumbledore was doing the right thing. After all, the Dursleys had been Harry Potter's last living relatives...despite the fact that magical children weren't supposed to be given to Muggles unless it was absolutely, positively unavoidable. "We've been led to believe you were there that night when Mr. Potter was taken to the…Dudleys…"

"Dursleys'," Severus interjected, sneering the name, the contempt and loathing that dripped from each word conveying the depth of Severus' emotions.

"Ah, yes, yes, Dursleys," Fudge said, his beady eyes turning back and forth, as if he was almost wishing for some help. He'd been called out of bed at eleven o'clock at night, only to be told Harry Potter was dead; nothing had prepared him for it. He'd promptly passed out, only to be revived by his night-shift secretary, Wallis.

"Tell us what happened that night," Madam Bones instructed, once again sitting forward, her scribe pen writing everything down so nobody in the room had to.

"I do not understand what this has to do with anything," Minerva admitted.

"They're trying to paint a picture," Severus said sardonically, "Trying to paint Dumbledore as the sole perpetrator for what happened that night, so the Ministry's reputation doesn't get dragged through the mud."

"Mr. Snape, a child has died. It doesn't matter how the world viewed him; a wizarding child was murdered when there should have been a representative attached to his case. There wasn't one. We need to establish what happened and when," Madam Bones said. "At this precise moment, I couldn't care a rat's fury behind about the reputation of the Ministry. If we are to blame, then I will be the first to stand up and reveal it. This is not a conspiracy." The fact that the child was the same age as her niece heightened her disgust further.

The men didn't dare refute her statement; the last thing they needed was rumours of a cover-up circulating, especially with a child as well-known as Harry Potter. There would be an outcry, possibly attacks and protests. Fudge looked green as he tried to sink futher into the student seat.

"After the Dark Lord attacked, I came upon Godric's Hollow first," Severus explained. "The house, as you know, was demolished, and James and Lily were dead. Their son was in his crib beside his mother's body, screaming his lungs out, in both physical and mental pain and distress, no doubt."

Amelia gasped, unable to hold it in; the men, meanwhile, listened intently with sadness in their eyes for what had happened to the Potters. "Why didn't you help him?" Amelia asked.

"I did not get the chance; not two minutes later I overhead a motorcycle approaching; it belonged to Sirius Black. I did not want to be found there, least of all by him. He would have attacked first and thought later; of course, I wasn't thinking straight. If I had been, I would have killed the bastard where he stood," Severus sneered, his black eyes gleaming with malice. "I assumed the boy would be fine; I Apparated back to Hogwarts."

"Sirius Black wasn't found in Godric's Hollow," Fudge said nervously, "I found Black in the middle of a Muggle street laughing after killing Peter Pettigrew and thirteen Muggles."

"Yes, Albus knew something had happened; he was the caster of the Fidelius Charm. He asked Hagrid to go and retrieve Harry from the remains and meet him at Privet Drive where the Dursleys lived," Minerva choked out, heartbroken. "I spent the morning there, just watching the house and waiting for Albus to appear. He did as darkness descended upon the street. It was during that time I realized what had happened. Lily and James were dead, and Harry had survived the un-survivable. When he arrived, I was immediately told that You-Know-Who was dead."

"Really?" Madam Bones asked.

"Albus confirmed it," Minerva quietly said.

"Did he?" Severus asked wryly.

"What?" Minerva asked, staring up at the Potions Master in confusion. The rest followed her, staring at Severus also for an explanation.

"He has a way with words; did he actually say the Dark Lord was gone?" Severus blandly asked.

"Well, no, he merely said, and I quote, 'It certainly seems so'," Minerva replied.

"Convenient," Severus responded, his lip curling.

"I told him that the Dursleys were the worst sort of Muggles," Minerva said.

"You _what?!_" they asked, shocked and indignant. Severus, however, didn't show a change of emotion. He had heard her fretting about it with the old fool. He'd stupidly just sneered and assumed she was overreacting; after all, Albus had said he'd checked in on him, and that he was very happy and spoiled.

"How did you have any time to ascertain that?" Madam Bones asked, frowning.

"I remained at the Dursleys' all day, in my Animagus form so as to not draw attention to myself," Minerva expained.

"The attack happened at midnight, but Harry didn't arrive until the next day? That leaves nearly twenty-four hours unaccounted for," Moody said suspiciously.

Minerva simply nodded, admittedly at a loss as well.

"Then what happened?" Amelia asked.

"I protested again, insisting that they couldn't have been less like us if they tried," Minerva answered. "I had seen a fifteen-month-old boy kicking his mother, _demanding_ sweets! I just couldn't believe he wanted to place Harry there. They would never understand him, or his magic, but Dumbledore insisted. He said he would leave a letter for them."

Severus snorted; the thought that anything of that magnitude could be written in a letter was ludicrous.

"Albus said it was better for Harry to grow up away from the fame, insisting it would go to his head. I agreed with him somewhat reluctantly; he'd never led us astray before," Minerva replied, closing her eyes, "Then Hagrid brought him on the motorcycle. He told us that Sirius Black had given it to him."

"Wait a minute, wasn't Black the boy's godfather?" Scrimgeour asked.

"Yes," Minerva admitted quietly.

"Black got to Godric's hollow after you, Snape, did nothing to a boy he was supposed to have just handed over to Voldemort, passed him off to Hagrid, then went after Peter Pettigrew?" Scrimgeour entailed, his voice thick with incredulity; he evidently couldn't believe it. "A man who was supposed to have been a spy did nothing to the defenceless fifteen-month-old boy? That is not normal Death Eater behaviour."

"No, it most certainly is not," Moody admitted, suspicious himself.

"Is there a chance Black is innocent?" Scrimgeour wondered. "I assume Veritaserum was used at his trial?"

"There wasn't one," piped in Fudge.

Then everyone turned to look at Madam Bones, as if she was to blame.

"The Minister of magic demanded his imprisonment; with Crouch whispering in his ear and the election so close, many people were sentenced to Azkaban without trial," Madam Bones explained. "I, of course, wasn't happy about that, since we all know some of them could have been under the Imperius curse. I think a total of five people were imprisoned with trial during the following weeks, until things calmed down after Voldemort's defeat."

"What happened after Mr. Potter appeared?" Scrimgeour asked.

"Well, I got my first look at Harry; the scar just looked awful, and I asked Albus why something wasn't done about it. All he had to say was that 'scars come in useful'. Then Albus laid Harry down on the step in a basket, placing a letter in the basket before we left," Minerva said.

Severus stiffened, his look becoming calculating; there had to be a reason for Dumbledore wishing Harry to keep the scar.

"You left a child out in the dark, cold night in a basket?" Madam Bones demanded, indignant with horror at their callousness. "If you had attempted that with my niece, I would have hexed you where you stood."

"That is all you know? You didn't visit again?" Madam Bones continued her questioning once she'd regained control of herself.

"No, but we recently learned that Arabella Figg, a Squib, was housed nearby to keep an eye on Harry," Minerva said firmly.

"Yes, we gathered as much from the case files," Madam Bones said, looking slightly sick. At least she'd managed to stop herself from throwing up. Unfortunately, Cornelius Fudge hadn't been able to handle the still photographs. There weren't many cases where children were brutally murdered in the magical world. Accidents happened, and during the war they had been killed with the killing curse, but they, at least, had looked peaceful. Those photographs had been the most horrific things they had ever seen, they could all agree with that.

"It should also be noted that Albus Dumbledore told us he visited the Dursleys every year; when we called him on that lie, he insisted he received letters from Arabella Figg. That second lie was swiftly uncovered when we realized Arabella had died the same day as Harry," Filius said firmly.

"Do you know anything about the Potters' will?" Scrimgeour asked.

"I assume it was read," Minerva said.

"That's the problem: it wasn't," Scrimgeour told her.

"It is possible it was overlooked in the chaos," Minerva said tiredly. If she'd felt guilty before, she felt ten times more so now. They'd made her feel two feet tall, and despite not showing it, it wounded her deeply.

"It shouldn't have been," Moody said frowning; the last will and testament was the last thing someone asked for, to forget about it was deeply disrespectful. "Do any of you know, perchance, where the Potter's filed their wills?"

"If James was anything like his father, or was taught by him, then he would have had copies filed at both the Ministry and Gringotts to ensure that one copy didn't get mysteriously lost," Minerva said. Sixty years ago such a thing had happened in the Ministry; twenty-nine families had been denied their inheritances when wills had been "misplaced." Fortunately, the outcry had been too great, and in each case the nearest male relative had gotten the entire fortune to do with what he liked. Only ten of the families had found wills inside the vaults; it had been after that, that wills being recorded at Gringotts became popular. There was less chance of anyone getting into Gringotts to tamper with things than in the Ministry.

"Once the wills have been read and dealt with, I'm afraid the Potter fortune will be going to the closest living relative," Moody said.

"Do not tell me it's going to Dudley Dursley," Severus snarled.

"_Magical_ living relative," Madam Bones corrected before Moody got the chance.

"That's worse," Filius said. "I'm afraid the closest family will break off to the Black line. If I am correct, Narcissa Malfoy is the only one not imprisoned."

"You forget Andromeda," Madam Bones corrected.

"Don't you think we are largely getting off topic?" Minerva asked, her lip quivering. They had just found out the child was dead, and here they were discussing where the Potter fortune was going. "Please excuse me," she added, standing up and leaving Filius' office; a sniffle could be heard as she left.

"How's Dumbledore?" Severus asked out of morbid curiosity.

"I haven't heard from Poppy," Filius answered.

"Very well, I bid you goodnight," Severus curtly told the gathering, turning and following Minerva's example and leaving.

* * *

><p>Minerva McGonagall stood at the plot where Harry Potter had been buried, tears freely tracking down her face. After three phone calls, they'd found out where he was buried, and so here they were, standing solemnly at the grave site. She knelt down, her heart breaking; the plot was a mess, not even slightly taken care of. No flowers, teddies, or anything of the kind.<p>

"Why doesn't he have a headstone, Severus?" Minerva asked, wiping her eyes with her lace handkerchief. Her eyes were rimmed red, with black bags under her tired eyes. She could have taken a dreamless sleeping potion, but she felt very undeserving of it. The things the Ministry workers had said had gotten to her. They were right: she _had_ known those muggles weren't fit to raise Harry, yet she'd listened to the wrong man. Now Harry was gone, and all night she'd seen images of Harry, either with his parents before the tragic night, or the child as she'd left Privet Drive behind. Last but by no means least, and definitely the worst, the pictures of Harry dead. As she knelt down, tears continued to rain down on the soil. This was her fault; if she could go back in time, she'd do it in a heartbeat, and yes, even if it meant going against Albus. She was extremely suspicious now, and it was all Severus' fault; had Dumbledore had even an inkling of what was going to occur? That Harry would be abused? The thought left her cold.

"Be grateful he was buried, Minerva; they could have cremated his remains," Severus said quietly from beside her, swallowing back the lump lodged in his throat. Standing here made it all the more real, more than anything had been up to this point. It was six o'clock in the morning; they would have another two hours to wait until the Muggles woke up and dug up Harry's remains.

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><p>Big thank you to Jake and Jordre for editing this story!<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 5 **

**Releases **

* * *

><p>Sirius Black was curled up in his Animagus form, better known as Padfoot. He didn't know how long he'd been in here, but each day was madness; he wanted to protect his godson. The Dementors drained everything but misery and fear, leaving him feeling even more terrified for his godson's safety. Harry was out there somewhere, Merlin knew where; since he was his godfather…with a bit of luck it was his cousin Andromeda that Harry was staying with. She was the only light-sided Black in the family, other than him, who was out there in the world. The most concerning thing was that Pettigrew was out there too; what if he managed to get his hands on Harry? Nobody believed that the traitor had been Pettigrew; he'd been sentenced to this hellhole without a bloody trial. Padfoot whined, unable to help himself, as the Dementors drew in on his pain. Harry, he had to stay sane…they'd find Pettigrew sooner or later...they just had to.<p>

His black muzzle twitched, his head leaping up as he realised the Dementors were leaving. That was extremely unusual, they normally stayed for hours before leaving him alone again. Cocking his head to the side, he listened more intently for what had caught his attention; he suddenly realized that he could hear talking. Getting up on four legs, he padded to the front of the cell, trying to hear better. It was pitch black in that cell; even as a dog he couldn't see who was coming. What he did hear was the number of the prisoner they were after, and knew it was him; the black numbers written across the clothes he wore were thoroughly memorised.

Why were they coming for him? Had they caught Pettigrew? Scrambling back from the door, he headed to the rear of the cell, his long nails scratching along the uneven cement floor. Once he was sitting in his dog form on the straw bed they'd given him, he changed back into a gaunt, tired, drained, and tormented young man. His piercing blue eyes watched the door. What if they were coming to get him to perform the Dementor's kiss? How long had it been? In here you lost all sense of time; the only thing that did tell how much time had passed was the occasional newspaper that made its way into Azkaban. When people from the Ministry had come to interview someone last, there had been six prisoners surrounding him in different cells, and only one had been interviewed. The paper then said that it had been just two weeks after he was put into this Merlin-forsaken place. He wanted to turn back into Padfoot so he could hear them again, but he was too exhausted to attempt it. He would need to conserve his strength for when the Dementors came again. It had taken him years to get the energy to turn into Padfoot; it kept him sane. That, and thoughts of revenge, and of his godson were the only things keeping him going.

"Prisoner XY390, Sirius Orion Black," announced the deep, cold voice of one of the many guards that were housed in Azkaban Prison. The key was inserted into the keyhole, and a loud grating noise could be heard as the door was opened.

Sirius held his breath, not sure if this was a good thing or not; nobody had visited him since his incarceration, who knew how many years ago? He winced and hid his eyes with his dirty arm as someone cast a Lumos spell, lighting up the small cell. He hadn't seen anything so bright in a long time; the only light he got was a small sliver of it when it was daylight outside. That was the only indication he got that another day had come around in this hellhole. Reluctantly he removed his arm as his eyes got used to the light. "Rufus?" he asked hoarsely― why was his old boss coming here? His heart exploded as he simultaneously felt a hundred different emotions flow through him. Fear, anxiety, hope, terror excitement, wonder, curiosity, and everything else in between. He prayed that Pettigrew had been found, that his beloved godson was safe, and that his time in Azkaban was avenged. Maybe they would let him spend a few seconds alone with the murderous little rat before he was sentenced to prison. The thought that they were there to administer the kiss lingered, but why come if that was the case? Why not just get a Dementor to administer it?

"Hello, Sirius," Scrimgeour said, his yellow eyes glowing in the light cast from his wand, as he observed the ex-Auror before him. He looked like he'd lost three, maybe four stone overall in the past ten years. No doubt Black had; he knew what they served for food here at Azkaban. He stepped further into the cell, his limp noticeable as he did so. Sirius showed no surprise at the injury. Not that he was surprised by much; he was watching Scrimgeour as if he was a lion ready to strike.

"Why are you here?" Sirius rasped. It had been a long time since he'd spoken; it felt odd, and his mouth and throat began to ache immediately.

"You have been summoned by the Wizengamot; your trial starts in exactly one hour," Scrimgeour said.

"Why now?" Sirius croaked, wincing; he felt as though he was swallowing glass. What he wouldn't do for a drink right now.

"Let's go," Scrimgeour said, helping the frail wizard up, but not answering. Truth be told, he didn't want to be the one to reveal the news to him.

Sirius grunted as he was hoisted to his feet by the strong wizard. Why was he being summoned by the Wizengamot? Why now? So many questions whirled around his head as he was led out of Azkaban, escorted by Scrimgeour and the guard that had opened his door. Both of them had their wands in their hands as if they didn't trust him, but in Azkaban anyone would be crazy not to have his wand in his pocket, surrounded by Dementors as they were.

He shivered in the cold as he was led to the main door; the blast of freezing wind as they stepped out the door caused him to shiver. Steam blew out his mouth as he breathed. Scrimgeour guided both of them onto the small two-seat boat, the only way on and off the island, unless you had a Portkey which was keyed to someone's magic―and only that one individual could use it from there. That was how the guards managed to leave the island without having to use the boat.

The sea began to rock it harshly, but no water splashed over the side to get them wet. Once both of them were sitting comfortably, Scrimgeour flicked his wand out, muttered an incantation while waving his wand at the same time. The boat began moving, slowly at first, then speeding up, heading in a straight line towards the shore.

Sirius opened his mouth to ask questions, but the speed of the boat stopped him from being able to do anything other than close his mouth and try to stop his teeth from chittering at the cold. He hadn't moved so much in years, so his body was already feeling exhausted beyond reason. Gratitude thrummed through him when the boat slowed down, enabling him to breathe properly without the harsh wind making him feel suffocated.

In a daze he was led from the boat guided by only Scrimgeour; he was in no way prepared for Apparation. On arrival his body spasmed as he fell to his knees, dry-retching; his stomach had absolutely nothing in it. Then two people helped the weakened wizard to his feet. The warmth of the building made Sirius feel sleepy.

"Get him to the Medical wing; do not leave his side," Fudge said to Alastor and Scrimgeour. "The trial starts in forty-five minutes; he needs something to eat before getting Veritaserum, according to Smith. Some hot chocolate won't go amiss either. If he faints, his trial will be held back two days―make sure he understands that." Black looked nothing like the deranged wizard he'd encountered ten years ago. If the man was innocent, he was glad it hadn't been up to him― he'd been an Auror when Black was arrested ten years ago. No, Crouch was mostly to blame, poisoning everyone with his words; the situation was not helped by the public agreeing with him, of course. Yet as soon as his own son Barty Crouch, Jr., had been uncovered as a Death Eater, the world needed a scapegoat, and Crouch Senior had been just that. Shaking off his thoughts, Fudge knew that he had to go and put on some clean robes, and catch the Wizengamot up on what was happening. He had called the Wizengamot together; they had given the permission for the trial to go ahead... despite the fact it was extremely late, two a.m. to be exact.

"Will do," Alastor said before he with his clunking wooden leg and Scrimgeour with his limp made their way to the Medical wing.

"What is this?" asked the Healer in surprise; he didn't normally have to deal with Azkaban prisoners. He dropped his sandwich as he got up; he'd been just about to eat his "lunch," since he'd been on duty for six hours already. He worked the nightshift round, tending to anyone that needed healing. Mostly these were Aurors, if they had minor ailments; the more serious injuries went to St. Mungo's. Tonight it had been particularly dull and quiet, although there certainly had been a lot of chattering outside his doors.

"Do what you can for him; he has a trial to attend in forty minutes," Scrimgeour said as both Aurors grunted, heaving the wizard onto the bed.

"Is he safe?" Brian asked warily.

"We are staying," Alastor loudly boomed, giving the healer a look that screamed he thought the man was a coward.

Sirius listened to the conversation, feeling as though he was in an alternate universe. As much as he'd hoped for it, he'd never really expected this to happen. He'd thought he'd die in Azkaban prison, and maybe he deserved it; he'd been the one to suggest trusting the cowardly traitor. He might as well have killed his own best friends himself; he wouldn't blame his godson if he never spoke to him. "Have you told him yet?" he heard Moody say.

"No," snorted Scrimgeour, sounding highly strung.

Told him what? What could they possibly have to say to him that they were so reluctant? His heart begun to pound as potions were poured down his reluctant throat. The final one was a Pepper-Up potion; he could feel himself waking up, feeling stronger than he had in a long time.

* * *

><p>"Minerva? How can I help you?" Fudge asked, blustering into the room, having run from the lower dungeons to his office. His secretary had let him know he had someone in his Floo; the last person he'd really expected was Minerva McGonagall. He prayed Dumbledore hadn't died. That was the last thing he needed right now; the entire Ministry building was in upheaval and on lockdown. Nobody was allowed to leave, at least not until he had spoken to the press. That was probably going to be the hardest thing he'd done in his career. All the Floo networks were being strictly monitored.<p>

"Severus mentioned maybe needing a court order if we found Harry's…remains," Minerva said, her voice wobbling at the last word. Merlin, she was still finding it difficult to process the fact that little Harry was gone. She didn't think she'd ever recover from it, especially not with the violent way he had been taken.

"Yes, you will; it's the law when requiring a body be dug up from its resting place," Fudge confirmed, nodding that it was true. As a Minister he had to have a working knowledge of the Muggle world. He had to interact with the Muggle Prime Minister, after all. That was not a pleasant experience; they normally freaked when they learned about a world hidden from view of their own.

"I see; how do I go about obtaining it?" Minerva asked, looking lost.

"I shall get it done immediately; keep an eye out for an owl," Fudge told her. Harry Potter deserved to be buried with his parents and family in their cemetery plot at Godric's Hollow.

"Thank you," Minerva said before withdrawing from the Floo network; it seemed that nearly everyone in the magical world would be without sleep tonight.

Cornelius Fudge sighed as he slumped back against his chair; now he would have to wake the Muggle Prime Minister to get the ball rolling. Within an hour or two, they would have the court orders they needed. Yes, even they had to go through Muggle channels sometimes, to keep the entire Muggle population oblivious of their existence. He was feeling sicker as the minutes ticked over; soon he would have to deal with every journalist to give them the news. Looking at the time again, he hastily made arrangements; he had a Prime Minister to see, and a Wizengamot meeting to be in time for ... time, it seemed, wasn't on his side tonight.

* * *

><p>"I apologize for my tardiness," Cornelius said, flying into Courtroom Ten, his ever-present bowler hat missing this time. The letter and court order were on their way to Minerva at Hogwarts. Everyone other than Sirius Black was present, and all solemn; a few had tears in their eyes. It had absolutely nothing to do with being up so late at night; no, they had been informed of the death of a hero, a boy taken from them violently, and much too soon. Fudge sat down next to Wallis, who was setting up to record everything that was said in the courtroom. It was strange indeed; normally there would be talking going on while they waited. Yet everyone was just sitting there, lost in thought, or grieving for one of their own.<p>

"Amelia? Are you sure you're going to be able to do this?" Cornelius asked, talking to the woman beside him. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and occasionally a tear would slip down her cheeks. She seemed extremely affected by this, more than any other case; she was usually stern, but admittedly very fair.

"I'm sorry, Cornelius," Amelia apologised, "I received a letter from Susan ―she got sorted into Hufflepuff. She mentioned Harry not coming to the sorting. She told me that Albus had informed the students he had more than likely missed the train. I guess that really brought it home to me. I raised my niece; why couldn't they raise their nephew?" she explained, scrunching up the letter as she tried to keep a lid on her anger. Replacing the parchment in her cloak, she forced herself to calm down, to keep emotion outside the courtroom, which had worked so well for her until now.

"I don't think there was any doubt about her placement," Cornelius said, smiling sadly; the Boneses had a generations-long history of being placed in Hufflepuff.

Their conversation was interrupted by the double doors of the courtroom being opened. Sirius Black was helped into the room, showing just how bad a shape he was actually in to the Wizengamot. Cornelius noticed he looked a little better; he'd showered and had changed into normal clothes. He didn't look as pale as he had earlier, but that might have had something to do with the black-and-white-striped robe he'd worn in Azkaban. His hair looked like it could use a cut or two.

"Since we are all here, I suggest we get down to business." Cornelius said standing up; all attention immediately focused on him. "The trial for Sirius Orion Black, on the 2nd of September." Since it was past midnight, it was officially the start of a new day, not that it felt like it.

"Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Penelope Cooper, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister. Court Scribe secretary Walter Wallis," Fudge clearly said. Protocol must be followed, and if there was a time when he didn't have to be obeyed, it would be tonight. He was having a tough time keeping his eyes open.

"The charges are as follows," Cornelius continued, unrolling the parchment, parroting what Black's crimes were thought to be. "Sixteen counts of murder; the names of the victims as follows: James and Lily Potter, Peter Pettigrew, Ann Mary Fletcher, Sally Marks, Sheldon Scott, Leonard Martin, Grace Smith, Tally Perkins, Patricia Cornwall, Daisy Collins, Margaret Collins, David Collins, David Collins Junior, Susan Hawkins, and Amy Hawkins," Cornelius said, not even looking at the list. Yes, he knew every single one of their names of by heart; he'd been the one to investigate it. "Mr. Black is also charged with being a Death Eater."

Sirius grimaced, looking sick to his stomach.

"You are Sirius Orion Black, are you not?" Cornelius asked while staring at Sirius.

"Yes," Sirius admitted.

"Do you deny the charges?" Cornelius Fudge asked.

"Yes," Sirius said firmly, his voice slightly croaky.

"Do you consent to the use of Veritaserum to prove your claim?"

"I do," Sirius quietly said without any hesitation.

The Wizengamot stared, surprised; normally those who had been arrested fought against the use of Veritaserum, denying the use of it during the course of their trials. Unless he thought he could beat the truth potion, it meant Sirius Black was innocent, and had been wrongly imprisoned for ten years. They watched the potion being administered; not a hint of worry flashed across the convict's face.

"What is your name?" Amelia Bones asked, standing up and taking over the interrogation.

"Sirius Orion Black," Sirius answered emotionlessly.

"Are you a Death Eater?"

"No." Despite being drugged he was very firm with that answer.

"Did you betray your friends to You-Know-Who?"

"No, I did not."

"You were the Secret-Keeper to the Potters?"

"No, I wasn't."

"Do you know who was?" Amelia asked, ignoring the shape intakes of breath.

"Peter Pettigrew."

"Why did you corner him in a Muggle city and try and kill him?"

"He'd just killed my best friends…I wanted him dead."

"Why was he insisting you had betrayed them?" Cornelius asked, cutting in.

"To set me up; after he did, he cut his own finger off, blew up the street, and turned into his Animagus form and disappeared into the sewers."

"Peter Pettigrew is alive?!" Cornelius shouted in shock, his eyes goggling at Sirius, unable to believe it.

"Yes, as far as I know."

"He was an Animagus?" Amelia asked calmly. "What is he?" she asked, thinking that it might make him easier to find if they knew this.

"A brown rat," Sirius said.

"You knew he was an Animagus and didn't report him?"

"Yes, we all were."

"All? Who all?"

"Myself, James Potter, and Peter Pettigrew."

"What Animagus are you?" Amelia asked.

"I am a dog, James was a stag, and Pettigrew is a brown rat."

"When did you learn to become Animagi, and why did you keep it hidden?" Amelia asked.

"Do not answer that, this isn't about Animagi," Cornelius interrupted tiredly. "It's obvious he is not guilty of the crimes he was sentenced for."

"Of course," Amelia conceded, nodding, she had merely asked out of curiosity.

"Sirius Black, you are cleared of all charges; you are free to go," Cornelius declared, turning to face the Wizengamot, unsurprised by the answers. His conviction about Black's innocence had taken root when Scrimgeour had spoken earlier; if he had been a Death Eater, he would have killed his godson… not that it mattered anymore.

"I want custody of my godson," Sirius said as soon as the effects of the Veritaserum wore off.

The entire room froze as one, unable to breathe; if they had given Black a trial...Harry Potter wouldn't have gone to his deplorable relatives...he would still be alive. It seemed as if everyone was taking the blame upon themselves for the tragic death of Harry Potter. They did not want to have to tell Sirius Black this, but unfortunately he was going to find out.

"Please leave, everyone," Amelia said firmly.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Cornelius asked, realizing she was taking the task on her own shoulders.

"I know what it's like to lose nearly everyone you love," Amelia responded; only her niece had survived the war.

"Very well," Cornelius acquiesced, the last to leave the room. The rest of the Wizengamot hadn't needed to be told twice; they'd packed out of the room so quickly, it was if they had Apparated.

"What is going on?" Sirius demanded, standing up. "Don't you dare tell me I'm in no fit state to raise my own godson!"

"It's not as simple as that, Mr. Black," Amelia said quietly. "Harry was supposed to come to Hogwarts yesterday."

"Ten years?" whispered Sirius, swallowing thickly; he'd been in Azkaban for ten years?! He could barely believe it. His godson was eleven years old; starting Hogwarts...he probably wouldn't want to leave whoever raised him now. "What do you mean, 'supposed to'?" he asked, suddenly realizing what the woman had said.

"When he didn't turn up, several of the teachers went to investigate; it isn't good news, I'm afraid," Amelia said sadly, staring down at Sirius.

"Why?" Sirius asked breathing raggedly, terror consuming him.

"Harry died when he was three years old," Amelia said, knowing that there would be no way to soften this blow.

Sirius promptly passed out, falling out of the hard wooden chair and onto Amelia's feet, unable to take any more shocks. The bad thing was, he had yet to hear the worst part. They were going to have to keep an eye on him; no doubt he'd try to get the Dursleys. She levitated Sirius onto a stretcher, taking him to the Medical wing.

* * *

><p>I wish to thank Jordre and Jake for editing this story - thank you!<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

**Fixing Past Mistakes **

**Chapter 6**

**Paying Their Respects **

* * *

><p>Despite their worry that it would take two hours for the Muggles to show up, they were proven wrong; it was barely ten minutes later when they showed up. Standing still, the work crew stood off at a short distance, their hands laced together respectfully as they waited patiently for Severus and Minerva to finish. The large truck they'd arrived in was parked away from the grave but eventually it would be moved over to help in digging up the coffin. Severus of course noticed them approaching, there wasn't much he missed even before he'd begun spying. Not even three minutes later, a hearse showed up. For all intents and purposes it was normal; the Muggles should suspect nothing, despite the fact it was a wizard driving the hearse, with every intention of helping them get to their location faster than usual.<p>

"Come, Minerva," Severus quietly said, "it's time." Helping the kneeling teacher to her feet, Snape moved her back from the grave. He was careful to leave enough room for the large Digger to do what needed to be done, remove the earth so they could retrieve the coffin. One of the men who had been standing respectfully moved away from his companions to start the contraption.

"What are they doing?!" Minerva urgently whispered, her eyes widening at the sight of the big machine coming towards them. There had been nothing of the sort available when she had been in the Muggle world for eleven years... but that had been a long time ago.

"It's fine," murmured Severus, exasperated; honestly, he was beginning to understand why Muggle-borns preferred going back to their own world after Hogwarts finished. It was irritating having to explain everything all the time. He was glad Filius hadn't joined them on this expedition; he probably would have been worse than Minerva. His exasperation left him, and he sobered immediately, when he remembered why he was here.

Minerva grabbed onto Severus' arm as the Muggle drove the monstrous thing onto the grass. Were they going to destroy the coffin as well as Harry? It was totally disrespectful... but no, Severus would never allow that to happen. Swallowing thickly, McGonagall watched as the machine's large scoop dug into the earth and removed so much it wasn't able to hold anymore. The digger was mechanically lifted into the air before it began reversing away from them. Returning to its original sitting place, the engine cut off, then the Muggle emerged from the digger, retrieving a spade, and walking back over with the other Muggles at his side. They did the rest of the digging by hand, until the coffin was in view. It was a simple, plain brown box, not fit for the young hero Harry had been. Didn't they know children under the age of eleven should be put into a pure white box? She was outraged by that, and was barely able to keep her mouth closed.

"Would you like to take a cord?" Steven, the team leader, asked respectfully, speaking to the man, knowing the grandmother wasn't strong enough to take an end of the coffin to the car.

Severus inhaled sharply, but nonetheless nodded jerkily; stepping up, he took a section of the cord, as the others got into place and gently lifted Harry's coffin free from the earth. Once it was safely out of the grave, it was placed on the ground. Between the five Muggles and Severus, they lifted it onto their shoulders, and began moving towards the hearse. It took Severus back in memory, to his own parents' funeral, or rather his mother's; he had not attended his father's. He'd had no respect for the man... which was of course putting it mildly; he'd loathed every breath the man took. His mother hadn't known anyone in the Muggle world, so it had been him and five strangers that time too. It shouldn't have been this way; Harry was well known, very loved by the magical population. Strangers shouldn't be doing this. Unfortunately there was nothing to be done about it now; the boy would get the burial he deserved today. He pitied the person who would have to see Harry as he was now, to transfer him from this cheap coffin to his magical one. It wasn't something anyone would want to, or should have to do.

Minerva followed them three steps behind, her handkerchief covering her mouth as tears ran down her face. Would the pain, guilt, and grief ever go away? Right now it felt as though it never would. Harry should be sitting down to his first breakfast at Hogwarts. He should be chatting away with his fellow housemates, making friends, and getting lost and reprimanded by the teachers for being late. Dear Merlin, what would Lily have thought, giving up her life in hopes her child would live, only for him to join her two years later? McGonagall continued wiping the tears away, a futile effort, since more immediately replaced them. A door slamming caused her to jump, bringing her back to the present.

"Come, Minerva, let us go," Severus said gently, guiding the devastated witch into the car. It was no ordinary car or hearse either; it could be compared to the Knight Bus. They were going to be in for a bumpy ride, just as soon as they were out of view of the Muggles. Their first destination was the Ministry of Magic, something Severus wasn't looking forward to at all. He just wanted to get to his quarters as soon as possible― even he had reached the end of his tether. He wanted to be alone, and if possible, drink himself into oblivion. Teaching students truly was the last thing on his mind right now. Things were just happening too fast for him, and he felt cut adrift. His mind shields were the only reason he hadn't broken down like Minerva.

"Have you heard the news?" Perkins, the driver, asked; the elderly warlock worked in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office.

"What news?" Minerva enquired out of sheer politeness; Severus, however, wasn't as polite and refused to even look at the man. It was the wrong time for gossip; he couldn't care less what the man had to say.

"It's been on the radio, both Muggle and Wizarding Wireless: Sirius Black has been released from Azkaban Prison," Perkins told them, shivering at the dark flare of magic coming from Snape. "Apparently they used Veritaserum on him and found out he was innocent. Peter Pettigrew was the one to betray the Potters; cut off his own finger, he did, before turning into a rat and disappearing down a sewer."

Minerva sat there stunned; someone could have cast that spell on her and elicited no difference from the stiff, unmoving woman. What was happening to the world? Harry murdered at his family's own hand, Black actually innocent of his crimes…dear Merlin, he would end up back in there once he found out about Harry. She would have to keep a close eye on him... She closed her eyes in defeat; she was so tired, not just because of the lack of sleep, but mentally and emotionally. She just wanted to close her eyes and never wake back up. If only she could turn back time, stop herself from giving in to Dumbledore's wishes; she would have raised Harry herself if she'd had to. She looked over at Severus to see his face completely impassive, despite his earlier outburst of angry magic.

"We're here," Perkins announced, stopping the car, and he was right; they were outside the main building for the Ministry of Magic. Perkins got out the car and opened the door for Minerva; you could tell by that move alone what generation he belonged to... although his grey, balding head was also a good indicator. Stepping out of the car, they closed their eyes when they noticed the press, which thankfully were being held back by what appeared to be the entire Auror department.

"Do they have no shame?" Severus hissed furiously, glaring at them, causing at least half to flinch and look away. His reputation was well known, so it wasn't surprising that those who had been taught by him wanted to run for the hills.

"Their pictures won't come out; I put a spell up to prevent it," Moody said upon hearing Snape's words. They weren't using the death of a three-year-old boy to make money; he was making sure of it. The fact that they were here at all earned them a lifetime of hatred from the old Auror.

"Good," Severus said, his lip curling in repugnance as the lights continued to flash. "_Wingardium Leviosa_!" he muttered, levitating the coffin, before disappearing into the Ministry. As they passed, everyone stopped what they were doing, staring at the floor, removing their hats if they wore them, giving a respectful silence to Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived. To them, Harry would always be the Boy Who Lived; he'd survived something that had killed everyone else in their world. A few of them had tears in their eyes, Severus noticed as they headed to the funeral parlour room within the Ministry.

They were unsurprised to see Sirius Black in the room when they entered, although it was a good thing Severus already knew about his release, otherwise he would have cursed the man upon seeing him, then thought later. The wizard broke down upon seeing the coffin; great big sobs heaved their way up his throat as if he had just given up any hope of it being untrue. The small white coffin lying on the table caused Severus' heart to jerk painfully.

"Would you like a moment alone, Mr. Black?" Minister Fudge asked, finally breaking the silence, his own emotions nearly getting the better of him. He'd just been through the worst public appearance of his life. He would probably have been hyperventilating if it wasn't for the three calming draughts he'd taken before facing the mob.

"I can't do it," choked Sirius.

"Mr. Black, you are the closest thing he has to family," Cornelius said, his voice pained. "If you wish I can have Marius do it." Marius was the one who prepared bodies for burial if nobody else was available to do it, which didn't happen very often, since there was always some family member able to dress their beloved and place him in his eternal resting place, sealing the coffin against grave robbers.

"I just can't; I don't want to see," Sirius said, looking both sick to his stomach and terrified.

"Sirius, this is the only thing you will be able to do for him," Minerva gently said. Harry had been left for strangers to bury; it wasn't right that Black was denying Harry this one thing. Someone who cared should be doing this.

"I CANNOT DO IT. I'M SORRY; I JUST CAN'T!" Sirius snarled, standing up and storming from the room, tears still tracking down his face.

Minerva touched the soil-dirty coffin, her hand shaking; could she do it? No; she knew she couldn't, but if it came to it, she would. She'd force herself through it; Minerva would do this one thing for a little boy she had so grievously wronged. She wanted to go find Black and curse him for his cowardice.

"He wouldn't be able to cast the spells anyway," Severus said, "not even with a replenishing potion; he's been in Azkaban for ten years, after all."

"True," Minerva acknowledged, but the fact that Black wasn't even going to attempt the task made her furious.

"Shall I call Marius?" Cornelius asked feeling bewildered and lost. He hadn't expected this to happen at all, but Harry needed to be prepared for the burial he deserved. Harry had no other family; he certainly didn't have any friends that could do this.

"No," Severus said quickly and sharply, staring at the ceiling before looking back at them. "I will do it, for Lily and for Harry." The name was so foreign on his tongue; he was used to calling him 'Potter', like he'd called his father. Unfortunately this had brought home to him that Harry wasn't his father; no, he had hated a ghost, and Lily's son.

"Madam Malkin's donated the finest Acromantula robes," Cornelius said, gesturing to the other side of the white coffin.

"Do you want me to stay?" Minerva asked shakily, her face tinged green.

"No, Minerva, I will be fine," Severus repied, swallowing thickly.

Both could see he was anything but fine; Cornelius nodded silently before leaving the room without saying another word. The two Aurors at the other side of the room nodded as well, their own bodies still stiff, and tipped their heads down respectfully. Minerva let go of the coffin, gripping Severus' upper arm tightly before breathing deeply and leaving the room.

"Here, Professor, take my seat," the young Auror trainee waiting outside the door to the room offered, standing up and feeling extremely awkward at seeing her so shaken.

"Thank you, Mr. Smith," Minerva said, gratefully sitting down; she had been unsure how much longer she would have been able to remain standing. Her legs were shaking beneath her robes; fatigue and the lack of sleep were leaving her exhausted.

"You're welcome, Professor McGonagall," Chris Smith said; his younger brother had just begun Hogwarts last night. His father was also an Auror, so one could say it was a family tradition.

* * *

><p>Severus swallowed thickly once more; dear Merlin, what had he just agreed to? Removing his wand from its holster, he cast a cleaning and cleansing spell on the coffin. Then, walking around it, he picked up the robe, barely able to keep his stomach from heaving. The robes were so small, so terribly small; it brought home just how much life had been robbed from the young boy. His hand scrunched around the thin material; why was he doing this? He must be a masochist surely, taking this upon himself. But no, he was doing it because Lily would never forgive him if he allowed another stranger near her son. One could argue he was a stranger as well, at least to Harry.<p>

"_Alohomora!_" Severus cast, automatically closing his eyes against the sight that would surely greet him. If there was one thing he'd be grateful for, it would be the fact that magical people didn't decompose as quickly as Muggles.

Opening his eyes he stared… and stared… and continued to stare.

* * *

><p>I wish to thank Jordre and Jake for editing this story - thank you!<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

**Fixing Past Mistakes **

**Chapter 7 **

**The Burial Of A Boy Taken Before His Time**

* * *

><p>Molly hummed as she cooked some breakfast for herself, her husband, and Ginny, the wizarding wireless chattering away in the background. Her daughter was the only one left now that Ron was also following his brothers' footsteps to Hogwarts. It was so odd having the house so quiet; Ron was certainly a loud boy, as all her children had been at the age of eleven. She hoped Charlie and Bill would be coming home for the holidays; she missed babying her older sons. She hated the fact they worked so far away, but keeping an eye on her clock every day helped soothe her fears of them being hurt on the job. Bill was currently in Egypt and Charlie in Romania; from their letters, Molly knew they were happy and enjoying their work.<p>

"Breaking news: the funeral for Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, will take place at Godric's Hollow in half an hour."

Molly dropped the spatula in shock; what the hell had she missed? She continued to listen to the wireless, as they played back the meeting Cornelius Fudge had ordered at four o'clock in the morning. Unsurprisingly, not many had heard it; after all, most people would have been asleep at the time, unless they worked night shift, like the people at St. Mungo's and Gringotts. The words the wizard spoke caused her to move to the sink and sick up her food. Tears mingled within it as she tried to understand how anyone could do something so contemptible.

"MUM!" cried Ginny, wide-eyed, watching her mother throw up; was she sick? Dressed in her pyjamas, she ran up the stairs to get her dad; he would know what to do. She rapped on her parent's bedroom, knowing better than to run in.

"Ginny, what is the matter?" Arthur asked in concern at seeing his daughter so distraught; she was pale and wide-eyed.

"Mum's sick!" Ginny exclaimed before she trampled back downstairs.

It took a few seconds for Arthur to realize what his daughter had said, before he followed her and ran down the stairs. Molly was at the sink in tears; he looked around for anything that could have upset her but found nothing. Hurrying over to her, he ran his hand in soothing circles on her back, removing her hair from her face.

"Molly, are you okay?" Arthur asked, pressing his hand against her forehead; she wasn't overly warm. "Molly?" Arthur repeated when she didn't reply.

"Ginny, please go and get dressed, breakfast will be ready in a few minutes," Molly managed to say, swallowing down some water, trying to get rid of the horrible taste. Unfortunately the water was no use against the taste of vomit.

"MUM!" Ginny protested; she just knew something was up.

"Listen to your mother, Ginny," Arthur firmly said, staring pointedly at his daughter, "And no dallying."

"AW!" grumbled the red-headed girl before reluctantly leaving the kitchen and hopping up the stairs to get dressed.

"What is going on, Molly?" Arthur asked, flicking his wand and heating up the water in the kettle, then sitting his wife down before making them both some tea. Pouring in some milk, he passed one cup over to her and took his own seat next to her.

"Did you get called in to the Ministry last night?" Molly asked, wrapping her hands around the cup, keeping them warm.

"A letter came, but I didn't go in," Arthur said, baffled; why would this make Molly so sick? He truly did not understand.

"Harry Potter's funeral is in half an hour," Molly told him, her voice trembling.

"WHAT? WHAT HAPPENED? IS RON OKAY?" Arthur cried, worried, wrongly assuming something had happened at Hogwarts.

"The news says he died when he was three years old," Molly said while wiping her eyes.

"Three? The poor boy, what happened?" Arthur sadly asked, his brown eyes gleaming with pain. The thought of anything happening to his own kids at that age made his heart twist in agony. It was always tragic when a child died, especially when that child was Harry; he had survived the killing curse only to succumb to death two years later.

"That's what's so bad, Arthur," Molly said, devastated by the news. "He was starved to death by his Muggle family."

Arthur's eyes widened further as his own stomach rebelled dangerously, finally understanding Molly's reaction earlier. He pushed his tea away; the smell of food made his stomach heave. Who in their right mind would hurt a little boy in such a horrific manner? Three years old! Three; dear Merlin, how had it taken them so long to find out? Albus was his magical guardian; with his parents dead and his godfather imprisoned, Harry had become a ward of Hogwarts, and thus Dumbledore; why hadn't he checked up on him?

"I'm going to get some flowers from the back garden," Molly said sadly; unfortunately she couldn't afford to buy anything. She'd just spent the last of their money to get necessities, and a few things for Ron.

Just then the owl flew through their window, bringing a copy of the Daily Prophet, one they weren't so eager to look at.

* * *

><p>Remus Lupin all but crawled into his little home, which was a small cottage in the middle of nowhere. His entire body was aching and shaking as he heaved his body onto his chair, groaning in agony. He had left his clothes there in the cottage, along with his wand, when he was in the forest roaming about as Moony. He hated leaving it behind, but as a wolf he had no way of holding onto it. The last thing he needed was having to earn the money to buy a new wand. Remus grabbed the pain reliever and opened it before dumping the entire contents of the vial into his mouth. The full moon had been at its worst; he grimaced in disgust.<p>

He hated the fact he was a werewolf; to him, that was what had lost him his friends and their child. He'd actually lost them long before that fateful night, for they'd stopped inviting him over. His wolf had been worse after that had happened. It had bonded to Harry, a small defenceless child of his pack; the wolf had claimed him as its "cub." He had asked Dumbledore where Harry was, wishing to see him, to tell him about his mother and father. He'd been told "no" without the Headmaster even having to resort to actually saying the word. Harry would be at Hogwarts now; he was tempted to write to him, but his own cowardice held him back. He knew he'd face questions like "where have you been all these years?" and questions about Harry's parents, possibly Black as well.

His eyes drifted closed, his body still tense; the potions he bought from the apothecary were watered down. At least he thought as much, since they were nowhere near as strong as the ones he'd been given at Hogwarts as a teenager. He couldn't complain though, since they did take a great deal of the pain away. Sighing in relief, he laid his head on the cushion lying on the arm of his chair exhaustedly; it was time for some sleep.

A loud squawk and hoot woke Remus up, after what seemed like only five minutes of sleep. Blearily opening his amber eyes, he blinked sleepily as he looked around, trying to figure out what had woken him up. The owl, he realized, was what had interrupted his sleep; his head turned to the fireplace to see the time. He was surprised to find it was eight o'clock already; he'd been sleeping for an hour. Sunrise had been at 6.56, turning him from his wolf back into his normal form. Yawning, he flicked his wand, opening the window and letting the owl in. He didn't keep windows open; it got too cold inside if he did. The cottage had old-fashioned plumbing and heating. Thankfully, with the woods out the back, he was able to keep the heat going without charge, although when it got cold enough to freeze stuff, he had been in trouble; but last year he had realized he could just cast warming charms on the pipes, heating the place up.

Paying the owl, he accepted the paper, which he placed on the other arm of the chair before resting his head again. Closing his eyes, he tried to sleep, but for some reason sleep eluded him. Groaning in irritation ―damn the owl― he had a feeling he wouldn't be getting back to sleep. Nonetheless he tried, but fifteen minutes later, he finally gave up completely.

"_Incendio_!" Remus incanted, pointing his wand at the fireplace. Immediately afterwards, the fire began crackling merrily as if it had been lit for hours. The room warmed up to a more acceptable temperature. He was frozen right through; his robes couldn't keep any warmth in them, they were so thin and threadbare. Muggle clothes were cheaper, but he wouldn't get a job wearing them. Which admittedly wasn't often, and it was usually money in hand for deliveries and such in Knockturn Alley.

Absently ripping the plastic covering off the newspaper, he reveled in the warmth penetrating his bones. However, any warmth he'd gotten from the fire left immediately upon reading the headline. His heart nearly exploded in panic, as he practically ripped the first few pages to get to the one he wanted desperately to read. "Dear Merlin!" he cried, shivering; jerking up, he tried to get to the toilet, but he wasn't able to get there in time. He fell to his knees, unable to stay up as pain and terror consumed him. Tears of regret, guilt, fear, and pain rolled down his flushed cheeks. Sirius had been innocent all this time, all this time, he thought as he rocked back and forth; what had he done? Not only that, but his cub was dead.

A large broken howl tore out of Remus' mouth, making him sound like his wolf half more than ever. It was a good job there were no humans nearby, but the birds in the trees did take flight in fear.

* * *

><p>"How could you do that to your godson?" Minerva demanded, her lips pursed as she gazed at Sirius Black, not even attempting to hide her disgust. She was, simply put, enraged by his actions, or rather his inactions.<p>

"Don't," Sirius said choking back a sob.

"I had suspected you wouldn't make good godfather material; I had no idea how right I was about it," Minerva persevered, her tone clipped and emotionless.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?" Sirius demanded, enraged by her accusation, made even worse that it was coming from his former head of house.

"You handed your godson to Hagrid instead of looking after him yourself; if you had just thought of him, this might never have happened," Minerva railed at Black. If he had forgone the need for revenge, gone to the Ministry and sorted it all out, Harry would have been raised by him. "Then when it comes to this... you should have done it for him. It's always difficult, Black, but James and Lily would be so disappointed in you."

Sirius stared at Minerva McGonagall, crushed by her words; bitterness crawled its way up his throat. The worst of it all was the fact she was telling the truth: he had failed his godson more than once, and there was no way of making it up to him; he was gone, never to return.

Minerva regretted her harsh words immediately; unfortunately, it was the truth, and she was known for being truthful. Her diatribe against Black was forgotten when Severus left the room to rejoin them; she stared at him, puzzled. He didn't look upset, in fact he looked as if he'd just been given a puzzle that was difficult to solve. "Severus?" she questioned.

"It is done," Severus said, the shutters coming down over his features, leaving him completely impassive.

"Are you okay?" she asked coming over, touching his upper arm in comfort. Of course he wasn't okay; he'd just had to prepare a child's body for burial. Severus might not have liked James Potter or the child he assumed Harry had grown up to be, but he loved Lily and to some extent Lily's son too. If only she knew about the Vow, she would know just how much he loved Lily and her son... at least half her son... if such thing was possible.

"No, Minerva, I am not," Severus responded. "Did I take too long?" he asked, staring around; there were only Black, Minerva, and himself present. Where were the Aurors? They normally kept their guard-of-honor.

"No; they needed help keeping the crowd at bay; as far as I know, ten of them have already Apparated to Godric's Hollow to set up," Minerva told him. Severus was acting very cagey; had seeing Harry caused it? Merlin, it shouldn't have been up to him. Regardless, it would have been difficult for anyone who'd taken the job for himself.

"I see," said Severus. "Then I'd best get to Hogsmeade." He had to buy flowers; it was, unfortunately, the social protocol.

"I shall accompany you," Minerva said, knowing without Severus saying anything what he was doing.

"Can you get some from me?" Sirius croaked. He couldn't Apparate in his condition, and going to Godric's Hollow was going to be difficult enough on his malnourished body.

"What would you like?" Minerva asked, still cool and aloof with the Animagus.

"Mixed ones," Sirius answered; he didn't know the names of flowers! Well, maybe a few, but he'd only got them when he wanted to impress girls. He passed his key over, having received back his wand and the items he'd had on him when he'd been detained.

"Let us depart," Severus said, not even looking in Black's direction. Minerva and Severus Apparated from the Ministry to Hogsmeade. They stared in dismay at the florist. The line was out the door; news had evidently reached the wizarding population. They did not have enough time for this; they had to get back to the Ministry within ten minutes to be in time to bring Harry's coffin to Godric's Hollow.

"What are we going to do?" Minerva asked. It was the only shop they could get flowers from, aside from the one in Diagon Alley, but they'd bet their wands that one was packed to the gun'l's as well.

"Come here," Severus demanded, holding onto her; it was her only warning before he Apparated them both to the Muggle world. He was grateful he knew the Muggle world as well as he did; otherwise they would have had to admit defeat.

"Severus, I do not have Muggle money," Minerva admitted. Nor did Black; he doubted very much that Gringotts keys worked in the Muggle world.

"It's fine; I'll get them," Severus said distractedly.

"Severus…are you really okay? You seem very preoccupied," Minerva observed as they entered the blessedly empty flower shop.

"I'll be fine," Severus said repeating his earlier words; he just wanted to be alone, to deal with everything.

Severus' keen eyes homed in on a wreath; walking over, he looked at it and nodded in satisfaction. It was perfect, a blue wreath with a little blue teddy bear in the middle of it. White roses, lilac Freesias, blue statice, and lilies were woven into it. They had four sizes; Severus took the biggest one, trying to stop his mind from lingering on earlier. Breathing deeply, he waited on Minerva, who in the end got a blue teddy-bear tribute.

"What are you getting for Black?" Severus quietly reminded the older woman.

"Oh, thank you, Severus; I completely forgot," Minerva admitted. Her mind was filled with possible reasons that Severus was acting so odd. Each idea made her stomach feel as if it wanted to crawl out through her throat. She picked up a Petite Rose Sheaf for Black; they paid for them before making their way back to the little niche they'd Apparated to in the first place.

"You're here; good!" Cornelius cried in relief, "I thought I would have to take Harry to Godric's Hollow myself." Noticing the flowers caused him to swallow thickly; he just wanted this to be some absurd dream he was having. Unfortunately, he had been pinching himself all night; he was now bruised and well aware he was awake.

"Do you want me to take them?" Smith offered. The Auror trainee just wanted to be helpful, even if he remembered Snape and was terrified of him.

"I'll take them, Severus," Minerva said, accepting the flowers and placing preservation charms on them so they wouldn't wilt. Taking a deep breath, she watched Severus enter the preparation room again; this time he came out levitating the new white magical coffin the boy's body was in. Four silver handles adorned the sides.

The walk outside took place in utter silence; nothing could be heard apart from the footsteps of Fudge, Smith, and Sirius Black. At one point Wallis joined the group, only for a few seconds, to hand Cornelius a bouquet of flowers before he hastily left again without saying anything. Once they got out the door, they saw that everyone else had left already.

Severus relaxed a little at that information, levitating the coffin into the hearse. Minerva placed their flowers on top of it. She could feel Severus' magic imbued in the coffin; it would prevent anyone from getting access to Harry's body. It was absolutely no consolation in the face of things. She moved aside, letting Severus close the door; they got into the car along with Sirius Black and the Minister of Magic.

Not four minutes later, they had reached their destination. It was a better ride than the Knight Bus; one didn't get thrown around like a rag doll—although that might have had something to do with the fact there was hardly any space to be thrown around.

"What the bloody hell…" Severus gasped, staring out the window; it looked as if the entire magical community was out in the graveyard. Godric's Hollow wasn't completely a magical neighbourhood, which meant they were risking exposure being here like this.

"We can't stop them; the family-only charm would make even us unable to perform the funeral," Minerva said sadly. It infuriated her, because she knew a lot of them had never even met Harry; it was the Boy Who Lived they were here for. Yet if Harry was watching over this, it might help him realize how loved he was.

"Who is taking a side of the coffin?" Cornelius enquired as they left the car.

"Myself, Minerva, Black…" said Severus.

"Remus," Minerva added, pointing towards the figure coming towards them, tears and snot running down his face. He was in very bad shape, barely able to walk; she remembered it had been the full moon just last night.

"Remus," Sirius croaked, guilt and pain showing on his face. He had to apologize to him; he had been so wrong. Remus had been loyal; he'd just been so scared because the werewolves had been joining Voldemort's side.

"Take it," Severus snapped handing the idiot a pain reliever which was mixed with a numbing agent. Rolling up his potions bag, he placed it back into his cloak as Lupin did as directed. For once he didn't say anything disparaging about him.

Once that was done, the four of them moved around to the hearse; each took a side, and hoisted the coffin to their shoulders. Then they slowly walked towards the gravesite, as each person there raised his wand, lights appearing on each and every one of them as they stared at the grass. Many of them were crying, grieving for the loss of their little hero. Even the journalists weren't flashing their cameras in their direction. Cornelius walked behind the coffin, one step at a time, his face filled with sorrow.

"What on earth is that?" Minerva asked, pausing; was someone singing? She gaped in shock.

"Muggles have songs at their funerals, Minerva," Severus said. "It's a sign of respect." He didn't bother telling her that it was the wrong time to be singing anything. Unfortunately, they hadn't been able to pay their respects beforehand in a funeral parlour.

"Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high,

In a land that I heard of, once in a lullaby.

Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue,

And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true.

Someday I'll wish upon a star,

And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.

Where troubles melt like lemon drops

Away above the chimney tops

That's where you'll find me.

Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly

Birds fly over the rainbow; why then, oh why can't I?

If happy little blue birds fly across the rainbow

Why oh why can't I?"

Severus had to admit she was very good, whoever it was that was singing. Another voice began singing another song; weirdly enough, the Purebloods, who didn't know a single lyric, were moved to tears.

"We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when

But I know we'll meet again some sunny day

Keep smiling through, just the way you used to do

Til the blue skies chase the dark clouds far away

Now, won't you please say "Hello" to the folks that I know

Tell 'em it won't be long

'Cause they'd be happy to know that when you saw me go

I was singing this song

We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when

But I'm sure we'll meet again some sunny day

We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when

But I know we'll meet again some sunny day

Keep smiling through, just the way you used to do

Till the blue skies chase the dark clouds far away

Keep smiling through, just the way you used to do

Till the blue skies chase the dark clouds far away"

Their wands were waving from side to side, in what was probably the most heartfelt funeral anyone had attended. By the time everyone had stopped singing, Severus, Minerva, Sirius, and Remus had threaded the cord through the coffin handles, and gently began to lower Harry's body to his final resting place, after removing the flowers. Tears rolled down their faces; even Severus had a tear in his eye―to do so in a public place meant he wasn't able to control himself as he would have liked.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to commit Harry Potter to his final resting place. We therefore commit his body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. We can only pray that he is shown the mercy he wasn't given in this life," Cornelius Fudge said, as the cords lowered the coffin until it couldn't go any further.

"Does anyone have anything they would like to say?" Cornelius asked, only to find nobody stepping forward.

"No one?" Cornelius asked wide-eyed.

"Harry was a beautiful baby, very calm and powerful. He was only days old when he performed his first accidental magic. He summoned his bottle from the fridge; Lily was so proud of him," Minerva said quietly; a small sad smile on her face, remembering Lily's face as she proudly told her about Harry's achievement with the pride only a mother could have for her child.

"Harry's first word was 'Mummy;' he loved her a lot. He was definitely a mummy's boy. His second word was Moony; Lily tried to get Harry to call us by our real names, but he wasn't having any of it. He had some Metamorphmagus abilities; he was able to change the length of his hair," Sirius offered next, falling to his knees.

Nobody else spoke up, so one by one; they began to drop flowers into the grave. Each of them had a purpose as they were dropped in, meanings behind them. Severus observed them all, idly noticing that nobody dropped a petunia into the grave, much to his relief.

A pink carnation, which meant "I'll never forget you," was one of the most popular ones in funerals, at least Magical ones. These were followed by many others: Cattail for peace and prosperity in the next life. Chrysanthemum for cheerfulness and rest. Cyclamen for resignation and a goodbye. Daises for innocence and purity in the next life. Garlic for courage and strength. Purple heather for admiration, and white heather for the protection he hadn't had in life. Purple hyacinth meant sorrow; white hyacinth stood for loveliness. Iris for friendship, faith, hope, and wisdom, as well as valour. A lily for beauty, a tiger lily for wealth and pride. Magnolia for nobility. Orange bloom, orchids, palm leaves, poppies, roses, sweet pea, violets, and zinnias.

"There are no words ...what can I say?

At last his sweet soul winged its way

To peace and freedom in the sky

Where never again will he suffer or cry.

It's all part of Merlin's great plan ...

Which remains a mystery to man.

We cannot understand His ways

Nor can we count our earthly days.

But who are we to question and doubt?

Merlin knows well what He's about;

He knew he longed to "go to sleep"

Where only angels, a vigil keep.

The pain of living grew too great

No longer could he stay and wait;

He did not want to leave you, dear,

But he had finished his work down here.

So he closed his eyes and when he awoke,

These are the words the Master spoke ...

"Welcome, dear child, you are Home at last,

And now the burden of living is past.

There's work for you in My Kingdom,

And you are needed and wanted here."

So weep not, he has just gone on ahead,

Don't think of him as being dead.

He's out of sight for a little while,

And you'll miss his touch and his little smile,

But you know he is safe in the home above

Where there is nothing but Peace and Love.

And, surely, you would not deny him peace ...

And you're glad that he has found release.

Think of him there as a soul that is free,

And Home at last, where he wanted to be."

Severus trailed off; it was the same verse he'd spoken at his mother's funeral. Very fitting for both of them, he must say; they had both suffered too long in life. After Severus finished, they began to lower their wands for the first time since they'd arrived. A few flicks of Severus', Remus', Sirius', and Minerva's wands, and the grave was covered. In exactly two days they would have the headstone to place on it.

"How are you both?" Filius asked, walking towards them, a vision of sorrow. He knew how hard this would have been for them both.

"Tired," murmured Minerva sadly.

"Perhaps we should go to Hogwarts? Have a little drink?" Filius suggested; anything to help take the edge off. He was certainly going to anyway, that was for sure.

"I wouldn't mind," Minerva agreed, nodding her head. Turning back to the grave, she placed her teddy-bear tribute among the legion of flowers. Severus in turn also placed his wreath upon the pile. "Goodbye, Harry," he whispered.

"I wouldn't mind either," Sirius said, inviting himself.

"Sirius, we need to talk," Remus told his old friend, his amber eyes hopeful and terrified.

"I'm going to Hogwarts, you can come if you like," Sirius said; he needed a drink.

"As long as you don't start anything; the second you do, I will personally see you are removed from Hogwarts," Minerva declared; she wasn't having Severus go through what he had at school. Not today of all days.

Walking from the grave, each of them took a turn to look back at the grave, whispering their own goodbyes.

If they had moved to the side just a few steps, they would have come upon a small group of figures upon the hill, cloaked in blackness. As they had also watched the proceedings, it wasn't until everyone was gone that they disappeared themselves.

* * *

><p>I wish to thank Jordre and Jake for editing this story - thank you!<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

**Fixing Past Mistakes **

**Chapter 8**

**Is Such A Thing Really Possible? **

* * *

><p>When the group of staff and Remus, as well as Sirius, reached the castle, they followed Severus' lead to the dungeons and to Severus' quarters. To Minerva and Filius this wasn't unusual; Severus was a man who enjoyed his comforts, whether they be drink or the familiarity of a place he called home. It was probably the main reason he had kept the house at Spinners End and continued to use it. Severus had never really had much ambition or a reason to make his life better, mostly due to his feelings of inadequacy. Sirius and Remus, though, were extremely confused; this wasn't a side of Snape they were used to seeing. The glasses and whisky bottles were quickly handed around; nothing much was said, all of them still shaken by the funeral.<p>

Sirius Black bleakly drowned himself in the drink, wanting nothing more than to kill himself. The guilt he felt was tearing him apart; whether Minerva had had a right to say it or not, she was correct. If he had not run off after Pettigrew, his godson would still be alive. Five glasses of whisky had been drunk before the Animagus spoke up, his voice slightly slurred. He hadn't drunk in years, so it was no surprise the alcohol was having a big effect on his malnourished body. "You know, you were wrong to blame me," Sirius accused, rounding on McGonagall. "Hagrid took my godson off me; it wasn't until that happened that I wanted to go after Pettigrew."

"You let him take Harry?" Filius asked in surprise.

"Have you seen the size of him? It's not as if I had much of a choice; if I'd fought him, I would have risked hurting Harry," Sirius responded, a lone tear working its way down his face.

"He had decided to take Harry to the Dursleys _before_ you were arrested? Despite the fact you were his godfather, and from that moment on, his guardian?" Severus asked incredulously. It was an odd day; here he was, sitting with Black and Lupin, men he hated, and actually having a half decent conversation with them. "He could be arrested for kidnapping, which is essentially what he did; Dumbledore wasn't even his guardian, and he had no right to ask that of Hagrid in the first place."

"Dumbledore is his Guardian; he has Harry's key, and to get that, he had to have become his magical guardian," Filius countered.

"How do you know that?" Sirius asked, surprised.

"Filius has close familial ties to the goblins of Gringotts," Severus said bluntly; it wasn't something the Charms professor chose to advertise. People usually mistook him for a half-elf, half-wizard being; Severus couldn't understand how that was possible. Although he didn't like to think about it too much... a human and goblin, certainly not something done very often. Most goblins loathed wizards, and with most magical folk, the feeling was mutual.

"Not just the goblins," Filius admitted quietly, swirling the whiskey around in his glass, "My father is the head of Gringotts. Ragnuk Flitwick; no goblin chooses to reveal his last name. It's something they keep to themselves, we believe it gives power to those that know." After all, it was simple to cast a spell to find someone if you knew his name.

"Ragnuk? Is he a descendant of _the_ Ragnuk?" Remus asked, wide-eyed.

"Yes; I was taught the craft for two years before I was invited to Hogwarts," Filius confirmed. He was not surprised Remus knew; not only should Minerva have been in Ravenclaw, but Remus as well. Both of them, for Gryffindors, had a thirst for knowledge that outshone even his greatest Ravenclaw. Ragnuk and his father were well known for their craft work, swords, and daggers; all goblin-made weaponry was made by them. Gringotts only wanted the best to work on their sacred artifacts, after all. It was well known that Ragnuk the First had crafted Godric Gryffindor's sword, something that to this day still had not been found.

Everyone gaped at Filius, impressed; even Minerva and Severus hadn't known that tidbit of information.

"How did the students react?" Minerva finally asked, changing the subject. She'd spoken after a few minutes of silence, during which the only thing heard was the clinking and thudding of ice in the glasses as they refilled them.

Filius' mood sobered even further. "I think everyone was in shock, I don't think it really hit them until they read about it in the newspaper," Filius admitted, sorrow the most prominent emotion to be heard in his voice. Even the Slytherins had been in a state of disbelief, despite the fact quite a few of them had been raised hating the Boy Who Lived. The Death Eaters had been forced into normal lives after Voldemort's defeat or risk Azkaban. It wasn't just the Slytherins; he knew Death Eaters came from every house at Hogwarts—the recently unmasked Peter Pettigrew was a good example of that.

"A lot of people were commenting on the fact that Albus wasn't there. He was the one that arranged the Potters' funeral, after all, and attended it," Filius said.

"Indeed?" Severus enquired, his eyes narrowed, "You mean nobody has found out about everything yet?" He hadn't been reading the newspapers; for the past few days, all he'd done was sleep, and dig up information, and see to finding Harry and putting him where he belonged: beside his mother. Closing his eyes, he forced himself to stop thinking about it; despite his confusion, he desperately wanted answers. He could only come up with one: that he'd been Obliviated, but that shouldn't have been possible to do to a Mind Master.

"It seems not," Minerva said.

"He swore Harry was happy," Remus said, tears raining down his tired, prematurely aged face. "That he was better off not knowing about his parents or the magical world." The worst part was, he'd already been too late when he'd visited Dumbledore; Harry had already been gone.

Severus snorted in derision, "Not the first time we've heard that one." It was the same excuse Minerva had given just yesterday. Despite the fact he'd had no desire to see Harry, or associate with him other than protect him (good job he'd done); if it had been up to him and under different circumstances—such as Lily naming him godfather and Harry not being the child of his enemy— he would have insisted on visiting, no matter what Dumbledore said, or actually taking him in, full stop. He wasn't father material, but damn sure he would have ensured the boy was looked after properly. If he had seen so much as a bruise that couldn't be accounted for, he would have taken him and run.

Minerva threw an irritated, exasperated look at Severus, knowing it was her he was referring to.

"I just wish I could turn back time, stop it all from happening," Minerva admitted, "Raise Harry myself if I had to."

Filius sat up straight, staring at the woman with a calculating look on his face, before he spoke, "Would you?" he challenged.

Minerva turned to Filius, taken aback by the demand. "I think at this point we all would if we could," Minerva replied, followed by nods all around.

"Even if the method is untested and unproven? With the possibility of ending up further back in time than expected, or not far enough?" Filius pressed.

"Maybe, but there is no point in torturing ourselves with ifs and buts. Harry is gone, and it would take a miracle to get him back," Minerva sighed, gulping the remains of the whiskey, feeling worse than ever, if that was possible. The hardest part, she realized, would be getting back to normal and teaching the next generation of students without Harry; the Potter line was gone. Charles would have been devastated, as would James; they had such pride in their name, and could trace their roots right back to the Founders' time.

"Perhaps," Filius said thoughtfully; perhaps it was time to speak to his family.

Just then, simultaneous thuds were heard as letters were dropped down a large chute and into Severus' quarters. The letters were identical in colour, shape and size. Severus stood up, walking over, a little tipsy, but he remained remarkably balanced, since he, unlike everyone else, was drinking his liquor watered down. Lifting the chute cover up, he was proven correct: there was a letter for each of them from Gringotts. Severus' heart sank; he had a feeling he knew what they were. Just yesterday they had been talking about the Potters' will. He was nonetheless surprised by the fact he had been summoned to the will reading, Potter had never gotten on with him, and Lily hadn't truly forgiven him for his horrific words during their schooling.

"Oh, no," Sirius said, paling drastically, immediately regretting drinking so much ― he felt sick. He knew what that envelope contained; he'd received a similar one from his uncle Alphard's goblin. It was concerning Lily and James' wills; he hadn't even had a chance to grieve for them properly yet. He'd gone from worried, to betrayed, then to furious. Then, while in Azkaban, worry for his godson and the wish to kill the traitor had filled his mind, so no, he hadn't had a chance to grieve for two of his best friends.

Filius accepted his envelope in bemusement. It must be Lily's will-reading he was being invited to. Of course it was; technically speaking, her will was, shall we say, the deciding factor. She had outlived James, even if only by a few minutes; her will was law. Whatever she had put in it couldn't be changed. Turning the letter over out of habit, he checked the wax seal to find it truly was a Gringotts will-letter. Cracking the seal, he began to read the contents, startled to learn they were reading the will today. He knew he had agreed to take Lily on as a Charms Apprentice, but they had been unable to go through with it. They had planned to begin either after her child was born or Voldemort was destroyed. Then the war had gotten worse; she hadn't really been comfortable at the thought of leaving her son with someone, so she had stayed at home. And the whole world knew what had happened a year and three months later: she'd been gone. Other than that, he didn't understand why he would receive anything from Lily. Quite curious, really; it wasn't as if students constantly left things for their teachers in their wills.

"Why so soon?" Minerva asked, deeply confused. Despite the fact that it was ten years overdue, it was a surprise that they were holding it right away.

"You forget, the Ministry has been investigating this for two days," Severus pointed out gravely. "I have no doubt Gringotts got involved then as well. They were speaking of a will and what happened to it. They also had knowledge that the will had not been read, so you join the dots."

"I had often wondered why I didn't get called to a will reading," Remus admitted, his amber eyes overly bright. "Unfortunately, I put it down to being taken out of their will because they believed I was a spy." Not that he expected anything, just a letter or something, anything to explain the harsh distance and walls that had been placed between them. He had done nothing for them to suspect him of being a spy; his bloody monthly curse had been enough on its own. Despite the fun times they'd had together, his own pack had betrayed him in the end. His heart jerked; the funny thing was, he realized they weren't really his pack. To be a proper part of the pack you needed to be a werewolf; that was probably why he was still alive and not completely insane—or rather, even more insane; Harry truly had been his cub, the reaction he'd felt upon learning of his death said it all. For the first time, both Remus and Moony mourned in unison.

"Remus," Sirius choked; it was his fault, oh Merlin, it was completely his fault. He'd been the first to speculate that it could be Remus because of the werewolves joining Voldemort. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, we didn't mean it."

"But you did, at the time. I couldn't be part of my cub's life because you and James feared I was a Death Eater," Remus snapped back, finally a little of the anger and fury he had held inside for so long coming out in waves.

"Cub?" Sirius echoed, paling further as he shivered; goosebumps appeared all over him, down his back, on his arms, and even on his legs. For the first time Sirius began to realize the grave injustice he'd foisted upon Remus: to be away from Harry could have driven him insane once the wolf and Harry had bonded. "Why didn't you tell me?" Sirius croaked, sick to his stomach. If he had, they would have known he wasn't the spy; he wouldn't have been able to betray his own cub, because the wolf wouldn't have allowed it. Of course Fenrir Greyback was an exception to all rules, human or werewolf. Then again, one could argue he wasn't human; he didn't even have a heart.

"And pray tell, how was I supposed to do that? You'd been avoiding me all year!" Remus snarled, still panting in anger.

"Bicker amongst yourselves later, I do not want to hear it," Severus sneered, his back eyes flashing, looking a bit like his old self right now.

"To set it so soon, they must be desperate to prove they have nothing to hide," Filius interrupted thoughtfully. "Nothing of the sort has happened at Gringotts before; the wills have always been read a week after the wizard or witch has passed on to the other side of the veil. They do not forget; we are all extremely smart; for this to have happened, someone must have confounded the Potter goblin, or worse, Obliviated them. Nothing good can come of this investigation, let me tell you that." If the goblins found out they had been confounded, they would be out for blood, and most certainly would tighten the security in Gringotts.

"This all points to Dumbledore," Severus sighed, rubbing his temples. Merlin, would this day and the revelations ever end? He refused even to think about what he had seen earlier, but then he remembered their earlier conversation. His head snapped up as he looked at Filius, his eyes wider than normal. It wasn't possible, was it? No, but if it was, why him? Why? What? What? What? He felt as though he were about to explode.

"Nobody else has anything to win or lose," Remus said tiredly, "At least not that I can think of."

"Coffee, gentlemen?" suggested Minerva. If they had a will reading to attend, they had to get their scattered wits together, and they only had a few hours in which to accomplish it.

"None for me, Minerva," Filius replied, shaking his head and clambering down from the chair. "I have things I need to do and people to see. I shall be leaving Hogwarts, so if you don't mind, would you alert the other teachers to keep an eye on my Ravens?"

"Of course," Minerva said nodding her head, he had handled most of the responsibilities for Hogwarts over the past few days, the least she could do was reciprocate in kind. The school was in disarray; she had homework to correct and students to teach, and she was nowhere near ready to do either. Plus, the headmaster was down; if it hadn't been so important, she'd send the students home. But no, it would be fine; it had to be.

"Thank you. I'm sorry I have to leave you at a time like this," Filius admitted.

"It's okay," Remus simply said, smiling weakly at the Charms professor.

Severus, however, continued to gaze at Filius calculatingly; he didn't want to believe his own thoughts on the subject matter. Yet what else was he left to think? To be honest, he didn't like either possibility, but he knew what he'd seen, so it was just a matter of which one ended up being ruled out.

"'Bye," Filius said, catching the look on the Potions Master's face. Why was he looking at him as if he were some puzzle that needed solving? Usually such a look only came upon him when he was trying to create a potion, not something Severus got much of a chance to work on, due to teaching students, admittedly. He left the rooms, still curious about that look; he would need to speak to the Potions Master tonight.

* * *

><p>"Thank you, Minerva," Severus said as he accepted his black coffee. The smell of alcohol was still strong in the air; surprisingly, though, that of the coffee was more prominent.<p>

"Filius was acting rather out of character, wasn't he?" Minerva asked Severus; the others didn't know him well enough to even comment on this, so she didn't even bother asking them.

"Yes," Severus agreed, adding, "But haven't we all been?"

"Aye, that we have," Minerva said, her Scottish roots showing through. She'd seen Severus tearing up while they were burying Harry, in full view of every student he'd ever taught, and those he'd grown up with. To show such weakness, she knew just how much he'd lost control of himself and his emotions. They all had; the tears of all four of them had mingled with the earth now covering Harry's coffin. She felt as though she had no more tears to cry, but she knew that more would come soon enough.

"Thanks, Professor," Sirius croaked; as much as he'd love to start drinking again, his body was rebelling against it. He'd have plenty of time to do it later; it wasn't as if he had much left to live for. Remus wasn't enough, capturing Pettigrew wasn't even enough anymore; without his godson, life seemed meaningless.

"Thanks," Remus demurely murmured, accepting his cup. He wasn't listening to much of anything that was going on. Things had changed so rapidly in so few hours; he'd read a newspaper... found his life changing forever...then attending the funeral of his cub... The next full moon was going to be an utter nightmare. He looked over at Sirius, who didn't look any better than he did. He was so thin and gaunt; haunted, and not just from his time in Azkaban. He had an air of defeat about him. Remus bit his lip; how were they going to get through this? Would they ever trust each other again? Or were they doomed forever? He didn't think they'd ever get to the place they'd used to be as children, the total trust and admiration. What if it made their bond stronger, now that they knew they could rely on each other? Ten years in Azkaban... how had he remained sane? And Pettigrew...for years he'd mourned the bastard's passing, visiting his grave and asking himself why Black had done it. Merlin, he'd never felt so sick before in his entire life, not even when he'd learned he had become a werewolf.

"Don't you think it would be wise to get some sleep?" Severus said, drinking a sip of the scalding coffee.

"If you wish to sleep, I will leave you to it, Severus, but unfortunately I know I won't be able to sleep," Minerva said. Her body was, admittedly, exhausted enough, but the images in her mind would prevent it. No, after this horrific day was over, she was going to Poppy for a Dreamless Sleep draught, that's if she didn't have any left herself.

Severus sighed tiredly, pinching the bridge of his nose, resigned to the fact he wasn't going to get any peace and quiet. He had a feeling it was more to do with the fact that Minerva didn't want to be alone; it helped having company. Especially after suffering a loss; it was one of the first things even Muggles did. Stick with family, don't make any drastic changes; those were the two rules that were the same in both worlds. "I suspect the same could be true for myself also," Severus admitted.

At the same time, Sirius and Remus were talking quietly to each other, half listening to what everyone else was saying.

"Do you know where the Dursleys are?" Sirius demanded, his eyes going cold and hard. They would pay for harming one hair on his godson's head. It didn't matter much now, but damn it, revenge was all he had left.

"They're in Muggle prison; didn't you read the paper?" Remus whispered, his sensitive hearing able to hear Minerva and Severus discussing sleep.

"No. Madam Bones took me aside and told me; I was informed of everything else when I woke up in the Medi wing," Sirius said, swallowing harshly. It was one thing to know his godson was dead; it was another thing altogether to learn how he had died. He'd stupidly thought it might have had something to do with the failed killing curse, or a childhood accident…but murder? They'd had to give him four calming draughts when he'd gone into shock and panic after Amelia had revealed everything to him. She'd tried to break it to him gently, no doubt because she knew how it felt, having lost her own family. Unfortunately, there wasn't really any way to break something so horrific to someone gently. That was why he hadn't been able to get Harry ready for burial; he'd wanted to remember him as he'd been in life, not the sight he would be now.

"Vernon got eight years; Petunia got ten," Remus said with a grimace. Ten years for murdering two people; it horrified him. If she had been a witch, she would have been in Azkaban for life, and they did mean life. She'd never have been released from there; no, they would have buried her corpse in a pit on the island.

"Ten years?" Sirius rasped, his body trembling with rage.

"Do you remember Arabella Figg?" Remus asked. There was no point in holding anything back; Sirius would find out anyway. He would rather he be here to help calm him down; he'd always been able to do that, ever since they'd been kids.

"Erm, yes?" Sirius questioned uncertainly, his memories were still a little hazy at best. "The Squib; she was in the Order."

"Yes. She was charged with looking after Harry; she called the police, and then went to confront Petunia. Petunia killed her just as the Muggle police showed up," Remus explained.

"She killed two people and only received ten years?" Sirius shouted wildly. He could barely believe it; the Muggle justice system sucked.

"The Muggle system is laxer than ours; they have no Dementors," Severus told the Animagus and the werewolf.

Sirius and Remus looked startled, staring at their other two companions; evidently they had forgotten they were there. Remus might stay mostly in the Muggle world, but he stayed away from civilization, only learning enough about the Muggles to get the occasional job. His mother Hope had been a Muggle, but he'd been raised in a wizarding household, moving from village to village when his parents had feared they were close to being busted, so to speak. He did know enough to get by, more so than any pureblood or half-blood who had been raised in the magical world. His mother had been so worried he wouldn't get accepted to Hogwarts because of his condition. She had been so strong. Remus inwardly scoffed; it seemed he hadn't received any of her strength or resilience. If she had been alive, she would have constantly urged him to get in contact with his best friend's son.

"I wouldn't call that lax," Sirius coldly contradicted, "Ten years for murdering two people? It's bloody sick, is what it is."

"I did not suggest otherwise," Severus responded just as coldly.

"Sorry," Sirius murmured. He owed the man more than he cared to admit, to be honest; he'd saved his best friends and his godson, only to have the child die because of his own actions. If he had just taken the job of Secret Keeper, none of this would have happened. Yes, he knew it had been Snape who'd warned Dumbledore, who in turn had warned Lily and James. He wasn't completely stupid, just impulsive; the man joining the Order was a dead giveaway.

His three companions froze in shock, none worse than Severus Snape's; that was a word he had never expected to hear from Black's mouth. He had no scathing retort; he was just too damn stunned by the absurdity of this day. He half felt like laughing; maybe he would have if he'd thought it would help, but it wouldn't.

"I think I'd best go shower and change clothes before the will reading," Minerva said quietly, floating the empty cups into Severus' sink to charm them clean, then place them back in their appropriate cupboard. She hadn't showered in days; she had put a change of clothes on for Harry's funeral, as tartan hadn't been an appropriate colour, after all. No, black had been the colour for Harry's funeral; it was a sign of mourning.

"Feel free to make use of the prefects' bathroom; just make sure no student is there, and can't get in," Minerva told Sirius; it wouldn't very appropriate after all.

"Thank you," Sirius said. He hadn't had a bath in ten years, it would be something he'd relish. "Do you know if my flat survived?"

"Truthfully I cannot say," Minerva said; she'd had other things on her mind.

Sirius just nodded in acceptance; he would find out sooner or later, although he rather hoped it hadn't been destroyed or sold. He'd used most of the money his Uncle Alphard had left him to get that flat.

"I must tell you that your parents are both gone; with no other male heir, you should have control of the Black estate," Minerva added suddenly. She was aware there wouldn't be any love lost there.

"I know, I received the notifications when I was…imprisoned," Sirius murmured quietly.

"I see," Minerva said, nodding as she stood up. She realized she had better eat something before Apparating to Diagon Alley; otherwise she'd end up sick and weak.

"You can borrow a change of clothes from me, should you wish it," Severus offered grudgingly. Nobody else at Hogwarts was near their size. They had a half-giant, a ghost, and a tiny man on staff; the rest were women. Well, there was Quirrell, but he doubted they'd want anything belonging him; it all smelt of garlic. He could sense the magic covering them both. Black was probably still in the clothes he'd worn in prison; Lupin had, no doubt, just charmed his tattered clothes black.

"Before I forget, here is your key," Minerva said, digging into her cloak until she found it.

"Thank you for the offer, Snape, but I'll get something from the shops," Sirius said.

"Very well," Severus said, inwardly relieved; he wouldn't want them back after Black wore them, after all.

"I can go right now if you want, Sirius?" Remus suggested quietly; he could smell the putrid scent of Azkaban on Sirius still.

"You don't mind?" Sirius asked.

Remus blinked; he shouldn't be surprised, but he was. Sirius didn't normally think about others; he would have said yes already if he'd wanted something he could get, back in the day. Either his mind was still scattered or he had…grown up. "No, I'll go."

"Excuse me," Minerva said, slipping out of Severus' quarters.

"Come on," Remus said, wanting to give Severus some privacy; no doubt he wouldn't move or do anything until they were away. He closed the door firmly behind him, feeling the magic along the door. It was powerful, but he'd always known Severus was powerful.

"Get us both robes; can you bring in some chocolate?" Sirius asked hopefully.

"Yes," Remus answered, not asking why. He'd always been the best at defence; he knew that chocolate was the best help one had against Dementors. No doubt Sirius would still suffer the after-effects for weeks, having been in close contact with them for ten years.

* * *

><p>Exactly one hour later, Sirius and Remus were standing at the doors of the entrance to Hogwarts. The students were out and about; the first years simply looked lost, and the older years… well, they were imitating ghosts really. Sirius was moved by it; he hadn't realized just how popular his godson was. Sure, he had survived Voldemort, but that didn't make him any different in his eyes. Remus didn't even seem surprised, which meant he'd known about the popularity Harry had.<p>

"Amazing, isn't it?" Remus mused sadly.

"I don't understand it; they didn't even know him," Sirius said resignedly.

"In a way they did; they've all been raised with bedtime stories about the great 'Boy-Who-Lived', who destroyed Voldemort at the age of one," Remus said quietly.

"So it's a hero they're mourning," Sirius said bitterly.

"Sirius," Remus tiredly sighed.

"Tell me I'm wrong," Sirius nearly snapped, controlling himself just in time .

Remus didn't reply, reluctantly acknowledging that Sirius was correct: it was a hero they were all mourning. Nobody had gotten a chance to know Harry; he had been taken from them before they'd got the chance. His werewolf wanted to hunt Dumbledore down and rip his throat out, then rip him to shreds for good measure. The bastard had lied to him, _better off,_ his backside. From what Severus, Filius, and Minerva were suggesting, it was worse than just taking him to the Dursleys and leaving him there. They made it sound as if he had purposely made sure Lily's and James' wills couldn't be read, which he didn't understand.

"Are you ready to go?" Minerva asked, making her way towards them, wearing a different set of black robes. They made her appear even thinner; the same could be said for Snape's robes as well.

"Yes," Remus and Sirius replied in unison, but their stances screamed out that they wanted to run away and never look back, not wanting this to be all they had left of their lives.

Together the four of them hopped into a coach, which swiftly made its way to Hogsmeade station. All four of them could see the winged creatures that pulled it; they were all too familiar with death. Stepping down, Remus took hold of Sirius and Apparated them both to the steps of Gringotts. Seconds behind them, Severus and Minerva appeared beside them.

"Filius, I was worried you wouldn't make it," Minerva said in greeting to the Charms professor.

"No worries, Minerva," Filius replied before he began walking back into Gringotts; this time the others were following him. It didn't take long for them to catch up with the small wizard, since they had legs three times longer than Flitwick's.

They walked right past the line of tellers until they got to the side of the larger enclosed and raised goblin's station, which housed the Head Goblin of Gringotts, and passed over their will letters as proof of their business there. The goblin seated there inspected each of them, giving them a long hard look as if scrutinizing them― except his son, of course. Finally he nodded his acceptance that they were who they said they were. When he called out in Gobbledegook, a guard dressed in scarlet and gold, remarkably similar to Auror robes, stepped forward, acquiescing with whatever his boss told him.

"Follow me, please," said the guard, leaving the main teller area and hurrying along the corridors, until they got to a room identified as WR1 and were ushered inside. The goblin guard then took up a security post outside the room, ensuring that nobody other than those invited could sneak in. "Ragnuk will be with you shortly," was all he deigned to say before shutting the door.

"They've definitely uncovered inconsistencies," Filius said as he took a seat.

"We always knew they would," Severus replied, sitting down next to him; the others joined them without a word, each worried about what was to come.

Ragnuk soon joined them, saying, "Good afternoon, lady and gentlemen, thank you for coming here on such short notice. As you are no doubt confused, let me offer my deepest apologies ―and those of Gringotts― for what has happened here. I am afraid that a wizard tampered with the Potter executor, who is currently recovering from the mind block and compulsions foisted upon him. Which means, as head of Gringotts, only I am authorised to read out the wills of James and Lily Potter, since their chosen executor cannot take the task upon himself."

"Did they have separate wills?" Sirius quietly asked.

"They did indeed," Ragnuk replied gravely. "But as you are aware, Mr. Black, James' is negated in part, since Lily Potter outlived him; her will is the binding one." Each had named the other executor of their estate, along with a goblin.

"I know," Sirius said, his eyes overly bright with tears.

"On most aspects they are the same; their wishes for their son were made abundantly clear," Ragnuk announced, showing tiredness and pain for what the human child had gone through. Goblins might not like wizards, but they would never wish them harm... unless they stole from the bank or started a war with them. "Let us begin," he said, sitting down behind an ornate desk in front of them, opening the thick folder he'd brought in with him. He began reading.

"Last Will and Testament of James H. Potter: I, James H. Potter, residing at twelve Godric's Hollow, declare this as my Last Will and Testament. I revoke all previous wills and codices. I am married to Lily Potter, née Evans, and all mentions in this Will refer to Lily Potter as my wife," Ragnuk read to them, pausing briefly. "I have one son, Harry J. Potter, and all references of him will be my child or son."

Ragnuk remained silent while the others tried to gain control of their emotions, not an easy thing from what he had seen today.

"I give and bequeath all interest in the following property, subject to any encumbrances, to the persons or entities as follows: contents of the vault Seven One Two to Sirius Orion Black."

Sirius choked back a sob of agony, barely able to stop himself from wailing out loud. Remus tried to comfort the Animagus as much as he was able, which wasn't very, since he too was finding this extremely difficult.

"I give and bequeath all interest in the following property, subject to any encumbrances, to the persons or entities as follows: contents of the vault Seven One Three to Remus John Lupin."

Remus' face was hidden in Sirius' shoulder, soaking the man's new robes with tears and snot.

"I give and bequeath all the following property, subject to any encumbrances, to the persons or entities as follows: Nine Galloway Place, London, England, to Minerva McGonagall, along with vault number Seven One Four."

Minerva dabbed her eyes, a little confused, but she would accept it; otherwise it would be seen as disrespectful.

"I give and bequeath all in the following property, subject to any encumbrances, to the persons or entities as follows: The contents of vault Seven One Five to Filius Flitwick.

"There were other people named in the will, but as they are no longer able to claim these things, it's impossible to pass them on. Since Lady Longbottom hasn't come to accept for them, these items will pass back to the estate," Ragnuk commented grimly before continuing to read further.

"If at my death, my child is under the age of seventeen or does not have a living parent, I nominate Sirius Black to serve as the (magical) guardian to my child. If this person is for any reason unable or unwilling to serve as guardian, then I nominate Frank and Alice Longbottom to serve as the (magical) guardians to my child," Ragnuk read. "Under no circumstances is my son, Harry J. Potter, to be placed with any surviving Muggle family members."

The four people choked, finally having their answer as to why the Will had not been read.

"I give and bequeath all the residual remainder of my estate, after all just debts, payments, expenses and taxes, administration costs, and individual bequests, one half to my wife, Lily Potter, and one half to my son, Harry J. Potter," Ragnuk finished. There was no point in bringing up the part for magical minors.

"Who witnessed the wills?" Severus asked coldly.

"Albus Dumbledore and Alice Longbottom," Ragnuk replied.

"Does the Ministry know?" Sirius furiously demanded.

"They do; I believe they are getting a warrant for Dumbledore's arrest as we speak," Ragnuk said; then he turned his attention to the second will in his folder.

"Last Will and Testament of Lily Potter: I, Lily Potter, residing at twelve Godric's Hollow, declare this as my Last Will and Testament. I revoke all previous wills and codices. I am married to James Potter, and all mentions in this Will refer to him as my husband or James Potter," Ragnuk read to them. "I have one son, Harry J. Potter, and all references of him will be my baby or son."

"I give and bequeath all in the following property, subject to any encumbrances, to the persons or entities as follows: Ten thousand Galleons to Remus John Lupin, along with the letter I placed in my personal vault, vault number Two Hundred."

"I give and bequeath all in the following property, subject to any encumbrances, to the persons or entities as following: twenty thousand galleons to my son's godfather Sirius Black, to aid in Harry's upbringing. Along with a personal letter I have left for him, also in Vault Two hundred."

"I give and bequeath all in the following property, subject to any encumbrances, to the persons or entities as follows: Vault number Two Nine Seven to Severus Snape, along with a personal letter I have left for him in vault Two Hundred."

Severus' face spasmed in incredible agony.

"I give and bequeath all in the following property, subject to any encumbrances, to the persons or entities as follows: A personal letter and a trunk to Filius Flitwick, which can be found in vault Two Hundred."

"If, at my death, which will have been at Peter Pettigrew's hand, as he is my Secret Keeper, my child is under the age of seventeen or does not have a living parent, I nominate Sirius Black to serve as the (magical) guardian to my child, to have joint custody with Severus Snape. If these persons are for any reason unable or unwilling to serve as guardian, then I nominate Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall to serve as the (magical) guardians to my child," Ragnuk read. "Under no circumstances is my son, Harry J. Potter, to be placed with my sister Petunia Dursley née Evans; she is a hater of all things magical, and my son would bear the brunt of it. I truly fear she would be the death of my son, or worse, abuse him for something he cannot control. I would rather he become a ward of the Ministry before placing him in her dubious care. A list has been crafted for this purpose, to prevent him from going there should the aforementioned people be unable or unwilling to have custody of my son," read Ragnuk.

"Who?" Remus croaked.

"Sirius Black with joint custody with Severus Snape.

"Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall.

"Alice and Frank Longbottom.

"Andromeda and Theodore Tonks.

"Molly and Arthur Weasley.

"It also states here, that if they had been able to, they would have awarded custody to Remus J. Lupin," Ragnuk added. "The requested items have been brought here for you." He handed out the keys, giving vault Seven One Two to Sirius Black as dictated by the will, Seven One Three's key to Remus Lupin, and the keys to the property and vault Seven One Four to Minerva McGonagall. Then he gave Seven One Five's vault key to his son, Filius Flitwick, giving over the contents instructed in James Potter's will, since it didn't in any way impede or contradict Lily Evan's wishes.

Opening the other folder, he began giving out the contents of Lily's will: a pouch containing ten thousand galleons to Remus Lupin, as well as the letter which had been in her personal vault. With shaky hands Remus also accepted them, looking defeated. Then the twenty thousand galleons were given to Sirius Black, as well as his letter from the deceased.

Ragnuk then passed over the vault key, inventory, and letter from the deceased to Severus Snape, who looked at them as if he suspected they were a deadly snake ready to strike. He quickly gave in, no doubt to curiosity, and accepted them with barely noticeably shaking hands.

His son was last; he handed over the trunk and letter, feeling sadness for him. He knew how fond Filius had been of Lily Evans; he'd insisted she could be the best Charms master in the world if she wanted to be. He'd gone so far as claiming her intellect was much like his; it was high praise indeed.

"I shall leave you to process this alone, but if you do not mind, I would like a word with all of you before you leave," Ragnuk kindly said before leaving the room.

"Severus, are you okay?" Minerva asked; he was sitting there frozen, unable to tear his eyes away from the letter, which was still unopened.

"I…" Severus was unable to articulate how he felt.

"Do you want me to read it?" Minerva asked; she wasn't about to let anyone, not even Lily Potter, tear Severus apart from beyond the grave.

"Yes," Severus whispered, handing it over hastily, unable to do it.

Minerva opened the lilac envelope; the paper was the same colour, and something Lily had liked doing. She felt relief flowing through her; it was nothing nasty at all. A small smile played across her face. Finally Severus would have some of the peace he'd so long denied himself.

"Dear Severus," Minerva read, casting a privacy bubble around them so nobody could hear. "I write this to you staring down at my beloved son, and I wish I hadn't been so stubborn. I wish now I had accepted your apology and we had gone back to being friends. If there was ever a moment I desired a straight, truthful conversation, it would be now. Even when we were younger, you would tell me the truth whether I liked it or not. It's the one thing I really loved about you, especially as we grew up, and constantly were told everything would be okay. Unfortunately, nothing is okay right now. We have a spy in our midst; Sirius and James are insisting it's Remus, but I don't believe it. I know you are the one responsible for the warning we were given; you have saved my life and my son's, and I'll never be able to thank or repay you for that.

"I also know that you were the one to pass the information on to the Dark Lord Voldemort, but knowing you as I do, especially when it comes to divination, no doubt you thought it was a bunch of hokum, as you called that class. Don't feel badly about it; if you are blaming yourself, you have my forgiveness. You did a wrong, but you corrected it; as far as I'm concerned, you are blameless. If anything happens to me, it will be down to one man alone: Peter Pettigrew.

"You are no doubt curious as to why I've asked you to raise my son. While I wanted someone more mature to be Harry's godfather…I thought we would have a chance to grow up properly. I thought perhaps I could get Sirius to change, but if he hasn't. I want someone sensible to raise Harry as well. I do not want my son entering Hogwarts, acting like his father did before him. I love James, but I've never been blind to his faults. You know this; James and I didn't get on until my friendship with you was broken. I want my son to grow up learning about the magical world from you, as I did. If you have any reservations, please get rid of them. I need you, Severus, to do this one thing for me.

"All my love and regret,

"Lily."

Severus sat there with his head bowed, his long black locks— which weren't greasy for once, since he hadn't been brewing, obscuring his face. It was probably a good thing, for the agony was so clearly written across it. For ten long years he'd felt so guilty, believing Lily thought ill of him, yet this letter...this letter would have helped him move on a great deal. Dumbledore had much to answer for.

Minerva folded the letter back and replaced it in the envelope before handing it back to the stunned wizard. She gripped his shoulder tightly, giving him the company he needed to get through this. When she removed the silencing bubble, she saw that Remus and Sirius were in pretty much the same shape. The letters Lily had left them all had reduced them to tears. Filius had read his and was now sitting staring at it sadly, but he had not been reduced to tears like the others.

"I am sorry to interrupt; if you need more time then I shall leave," Ragnuk quietly said from the doorway, beginning to back out of the room again.

"No, we would prefer to get back to Hogwarts, so please, come back in," Minerva told the goblin.

"If you're sure," Ragnuk said, "please follow me."

The four wizards and the witch stood up and followed the goblin curiously; what was going on? They walked for ten minutes before finally stopping outside an unmarked door. "Welcome to the Sanctum," The Head of Gringotts said quietly. "Filius has told me you would be willing to go back in time; is this true?" he asked, adding, "And please be truthful."

"Yes," they all said, confused, staring at each other and the goblin before gazing around the room. It was covered in runes they did not understand, and Minerva had taken Ancient Runes in her studies at Hogwarts.

"This room is designed to take someone back in time; to accomplish it, one needs to drink a potion, have a charms Master casting this spell, and have one other wizard powerful enough to cast this rune. Most importantly, the actual traveler must have very strong mind shields to cope with the pressure," Ragnuk said, holding out pieces of parchment with the spells and runes on them.

"But…it's impossible to go back in time more than a few hours at a go," Sirius objected, struck nearly dumb.

"It is possible. In fact, I think it may have already happened…" Severus contradicted the animagus, the truth dawning on him like a ton of bricks.

"You've seen evidence of a time loop?" Ragnuk asked looking deeply impressed; this was a powerful wizard indeed.

"What is he talking about, Severus?" Minerva asked in bafflement.

"Does that mean my godson's alive?" Sirius choked out, wide-eyed.

"What are you implying, Severus?" Lupin urgently asked, hope rising in him like an inferno.

"I could feel my own magic emanating from…Harry; I feared I had been Obliviated_,_ but since I am an _Occlumens_ Master, I knew it wasn't possible," Severus confessed.

"Couldn't it have something to do with the vow?" Minerva asked, trying desperately not to get her hopes up.

"I seriously doubt it. A vow's not innately Dark; this magic was. It could have even been a golem, but I did not investigate. Truth be told, I was baffled; I couldn't understand how it could have happened. I just did what I had to do, and got out of there, intending on checking my mind for blocks as soon as possible. Never did it dawn on me that it could be due to time travel until Filius spoke earlier," Severus admitted. A golem would explain how the body had looked perfectly preserved for one who had been dead for eight years.

"Then why wouldn't Dumbledore have the Will read?" Sirius asked frowning.

"Because he could not change the events leading up to time travel without causing a rift; the more changes made, the bigger the rift would become. We have been investigating the possibility of time travel for nearly fifty years; it is just that: a possibility," Ragnuk explained. "We suspect you merge with your younger self, which is a relief, since the most important rule is never to let yourself see yourself, otherwise you'll be driven mad."

"Exactly," Filius agreed.

"I'd happily stay in Azkaban if it means my godson's alive at the end of the day," Sirius said, tears of hope running down his face. He truly didn't care about his own fate, whatever it might be. He did know he wasn't in any fit state to go back in time, even if he'd had mind shields; Azkaban would have shredded them all.

"How am I supposed to accomplish that?" Severus asked sarcastically. "Raise a child at Hogwarts while teaching dunderheads how to brew potions? Keeping Dumbledore and everyone else oblivious to his presence, not to forget making it look like Harry is dead, while condemning an innocent woman to die thinking the aforementioned child was indeed dead? And if it was a time loop, shouldn't I already be aware of it? Have already done it?"

"No, this is the time before the loop; if you choose not to go back and redo everything, time will stay as it is," Ragnuk said.

"That makes no sense," Severus said curling his lip. "My magic was on the body." Which was the only reason he felt this was actually possible.

"Time travel never does; we have no idea how far you will go back, but we made it as strong as possible," Ragnuk said.

"You are the only one who can do it Severus," Minerva said, looking hopeful for the first time that awful day.

"Lupin has mind shields," Severus offered halfheartedly.

"He is not strong enough to withstand the strain, plus he is not capable of raising a child on his own... no offence, Mr. Lupin," Filius countered.

"It's fine," Remus said quietly, he'd already come to terms with that.

"Please, Snape," Sirius begged, his heart pounding like a drum. If he could, he would go back himself, but it would just end up ensuring another who-knew-how-many years in Azkaban.

"Fine," Severus relented, his eyes shadowed with worry; there was so much uncertainty that he was terrified, not that he showed it.

"Stand in the middle of the runes," Ragnuk instructed.

Severus closed his eyes, his stomach churning; _what the hell am I doing?_ his mind screamed at him. Yet if it all went wrong, he had nothing more to live for anyway. Lily's son was dead, he had nobody to protect, and all he would be doing was awaiting the Dark Lord's return. Not such a good future, really. He swallowed rapidly, his Adams apple bobbing up and down as he did so.

"Filius, how sure are you that this will work?" Minerva asked, clearly afraid for Severus' safety.

"We know he will go back in time, we just don't know how far," Filius stated firmly.

"What if he does go too far?" Minerva asked, her voice shrill.

"I'm sorry, Minerva, I cannot give you the reassurance you seek," Filius sadly replied.

"Just do it before I change my mind," Severus snapped, gritting his teeth.

"Very well," Ragnuk said, handing over one piece of paper to his son, the other to his co-worker. "The potion is on the floor at your feet; as soon as you drink it, the others will begin chanting."

* * *

><p>I wish to thank Jordre and Jake for editing this story - thank you!<p> 


	9. Chapter 9

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 9 **

**Police Station **

* * *

><p>Detective Gerard Banner sat at his desk. His mind really should have been on the five current cases he had on his desk at the moment. Unfortunately, ever since that strange, purported 'cop' had appeared at the station, his mind had been drifting back to the worst case of his career. The visitor hadn't acted like a normal cop; he'd gotten more worried the longer they spoke, which wasn't much. He'd refused to answer many of the stranger's questions, instead telling him to go to the basement and get the information he needed from the case files. When he'd tried to put the man's badge number into the computer, he'd found nothing, which told him that the man had not been a cop. He should have put out a warrant for his arrest, yet something stopped him repeatedly. The man had been so worried and tired-looking, and it reminded him of how a father would fish for information on his child when he was involved in other cases. Opening the old file once more, he stared at the newspaper clipping; it was about Harry's parents. According to the article, they'd died in a gas explosion, but he had survived... only to be killed by his awful relatives two years later. It was the greatest sin, in his book. His mind drifted back to that horrible day all those years ago...<p>

**-0 FLASHBACK 0- **

"95, 273A," called the voice over the police radio.

"Go ahead," Detective Banner responded, holding the radio to his mouth. It had been a quiet morning, so he was quite eager for something to do.

"The Dursleys, 4 Privet Drive, Surrey; 95, 10-20?" the dispatcher continued, asking for his location or estimated response time.

"Three minutes, over," Banner said, starting his car and pressing down on the accelerator, making his way there as quickly as possible.

"95, are you code four?" asked the dispatcher again, enquiring if he had enough officers.

"Affirmative," said Banner; a 273A meant child neglect, not something he looked forward to. He had three kids of his own; those kinds of cases were always the worst.

"This isn't somewhere we get called for this sort of thing often," mused Rick, Banner's partner, looking around at the perfectly kept houses, and their even more colourful gardens. Even their doors were all brown; it was like stepping into a Stepford Wives area.

Banner made a noise in agreement as he parked outside number four Privet Drive.

Rick looked around, wondering if it was a prank call. "Looks like we might as well call in that nothing's wrong."

"Never make assumptions," said Banner. "Looks can be deceiving; now let's go." He found himself wishing desperately for his old partner right now; unfortunately, that man had passed the detective exam and had been transferred to another station. Now Rick had to suffer through teaching someone who was basically a newbie, or Probie (probationary officer), as they were called.

They observed the neighbours peeking out their windows as they walked up... although peeking was putting it lightly: they had their noses pressed against the glass. The two officers knocked on the door, waiting patiently for someone to answer. There wasn't a car in the driveway, but judging by the toys scattered on the lawn, there was a child in the residence.

"There was a terrible racket coming from in there a few minutes ago," the next door neighbour offered, stepping out on her doorstep in concern. She was assuming that was why the police officers were being called out. They had seen Figg going in as well; she and that Dursley woman must have gotten into a terrible fight.

Banner nodded; gesturing to his partner to go around to the other side of the house, he bent down and looked in through the letter box. His eyes widened upon seeing the scene in front of him: he could see a woman dragging a body onto a sheet, all the while talking to someone urgently on the phone. A frying pan coated with blood lay at the side of the short hallway. He called in for an ambulance and backup, just before removing his weapon. He extended the baton fully before backing up further, and then with all his weight he broke the door in with a deafening thud.

Petunia jumped, grabbing up the frying pan. She was wild-eyed, terrified at what was happening. The phone fell with a clatter against the floor, the back of the phone and battery coming free and causing the line to go dead.

"MUMMY!" cried a three-year-old boy from the living room, trying to walk over but unable to go further because of the child safety gates barring the doorway into the hall.

"Put down the pan, slowly," Banner ordered, his baton raised as he kept his eye on her.

"GET OUT! GET OUT!" she shrieked. "LEAVE MY SON ALONE!" she added when she noticed the officer edging towards him, trying to protect him from his crazy mother.

Petunia raised the pan further, having every intention of using it against the officer, then of grabbing her son and leaving. Before she could even begin to do so, however, she was tackled from behind. Her face buried in Arabella Figg's shoulder, her arms and hands were manhandled behind her back and placed in cuffs. Banner observed a smaller piece of plastic cut up near the door, with rope and stones near it. What had she planned on putting in the plastic? The other woman's fingers, so she couldn't be identified?

"PUT MY SON DOWN!" Petunia hissed, her eyes spitting evil at the man holding onto her son.

"That's backup," said Banner, his head jerking up as he heard the arriving vehicles. He was relieved to see that one of the other officers was keeping the neighbours at bay. The child-neglect claim was obviously wrong, unless the complaint was that they were giving the child far too much to eat. He was a big boy, much larger than anyone of that age that he'd seen; heavy too. His five-year-old son weighed less than this child. Speaking to the dispatcher, he found out all information he would need.

"Petunia Dursley, you are under arrest for suspected murder; you do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention something which you later may rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence. Do you understand?" Banner asked carefully.

"Let me go; my son needs me," protested Petunia, trying to yank herself away, but it was futile.

"Do you smell that?" Rick asked, grimacing; it didn't smell good, whatever it was.

Banner frowned, sniffing around the area; he couldn't smell anything. Stepping forward he realized suddenly that he could smell it. It was coming from the small air vent in the cupboard under the stairs. Who had air vents in a cupboard? That was certainly strange; stranger still was the lock on that door. Why lock a small storage cupboard? Moving forward to open it, he became concerned by the woman's violent, borderline psychotic rant. There was obviously something in there, but he found himself reluctant to open it for some reason.

Stiffening his resolve, the detective opened the door and simultaneously gagged at the sight and smell that greeted him. He'd seen a lot in his line of work, but this…this was the icing on the cake. He ran from the house, gulping in as much fresh, clean air as he could. Crouching over, his arms on his knees, his eyes were screwed closed as he tried to regain his composure, hating himself for acting this way. He was a detective; the sight shouldn't be causing this much distress. It helped a little when Rick actually emptied the contents of his stomach in the shrubbery. At least he wasn't the only one affected by this gruesome discovery.

"We need Social Services for the child," said Banner, speaking to the closest officer.

"Already on their way, sir," said the police officer, nodding grimly. "So is the forensic team."

"LET ME IN! THIS IS MY PROPERTY! PETUNIA! LET MY WIFE GO!" boomed Vernon, trying to fight his way through his neighbours and police.

"Vernon Dursley?" questioned Banner walking over, a vicious gleam in his eye.

"Yes," Vernon shouted as he wrestled with the police officer who was keeping him back.

Banner nodded at the officer; Vernon puffed up and began walking over, only to be shocked when his hands were cuffed behind his back before he could object. "Vernon Dursley, you are under arrest for suspected murder; you do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention something which you later may rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence. Do you understand?" said Banner.

"WHAT?" shrieked Vernon, wide-eyed and panicked; he couldn't go down with his wife. "I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! WHAT IS GOING ON?"

Banner ignored his shouting. It took two officers to get him over to the police car and into it, fighting the entire way.

**-0 END FLASHBACK 0-**

Their defence had been laughable at best; they'd claimed that freakish "magic folk" had dumped the child on them, and that they had been threatened into taking the boy, of which claim they hadn't been able to provide proof. Mrs. Dursley's sentence hadn't been as long as he'd hoped; she'd claimed Arabella Figg had bashed into her house, raging like a lunatic, and she'd only defended herself. He shook the memory off; he knew he shouldn't be thinking about this again, but he couldn't help himself. The odd man had brought it all back up again; had he been the real father? But the newspaper clipping said both of Harry's parents had died. Either way, he doubted he would be dealing with him again.

Closing the file, he placed it back in the box while telling himself to let it go; there were other people out there who needed his help.

* * *

><p><strong>SEVERUS SNAPE - GRINGOTTS <strong>

As soon as he'd drunk the potion, the others began chanting, and Snape felt like he was floating. All emotions left him; he felt cut off, adrift at sea, and began to wonder if this was what it was like to die. What if it had gone wrong? This was all an experiment after all. Then it began: his memories flashed before his eyes, but instead of his life flashing forwards, it was going back. Now Severus finally understood why the Goblin had insisted they needed someone with strong mental shields. It was agony at its finest, feeling everything he'd felt during those past years in fast forward. The trick, Severus realized quite quickly, was to let it happen, not try to stop it. Just slow the flow down until he could manage it, as well as keeping his shields up, stopping the emotions from overwhelming him. If he hadn't been so strong-minded, he'd probably have ended up insane.

Then it stopped, and he found, to his confusion, that he was still in Gringotts, in the same room, in fact, but the others weren't there. What the hell had happened? Standing up, he winced in agony; at some point, his body had fallen to the concrete floor with a good amount of force behind it, if the pain was any indication. He nonetheless zoned in on the door when it opened, allowing what appeared to be six goblins entrance to the room, wide-eyed and startled. This room wasn't warded like the rest of Gringotts, but they didn't need identity spells to figure out who this was. They kept up with the Wizarding news, especially in regards to the potions academic area. Wizards weren't the only ones who needed potions, after all, but Goblins did like brewing their own. This was Severus Snape, and he hadn't come in through their lobby, which meant it had worked. The words he spoke just confirmed their theory.

"What year is this?" demanded Severus urgently.

"The year ―and date― is December the 24th 1982," replied the goblin, continuing to stare in shock. After all those years…it had happened. It was true, they'd created the ability to go back in time.

Severus felt part of him sink; he had stupidly hoped he might have been able to save Lily and Harry, at the very least. No; it was obviously not meant to be. He swallowed thickly; Harry had been with those horrible people for more than a year. Taking a deep breath, he reminded himself that he couldn't panic; it didn't help anything when you worked yourself into a right fitful state. He could still save Harry; the boy was still alive, the reason he had come back was still possible. Flicking his wand, he tried to use it to create a mirror, but nothing resulted from it ― not even a spark. Now he did panic, fear unlike anything he'd ever experienced flowing through him. What had happened to his magic?

Then his magic exploded, blowing the goblins off their feet. The relief that coursed through Severus negated any guilt he felt at his inadvertent actions. He still had magic; it was just the wand that was ineffective. He should be at Hogwarts; why had he been brought here? Hopefully he hadn't been seen disappearing from anywhere; that would be difficult to explain.

"What year have you travelled from?" asked the goblin, whom Severus didn't recognize.

"1991," Severus answered bluntly, "Why did I come here? I should be at Hogwarts."

"Go to Hogwarts at once; do not be seen," Tarek said suspiciously to one of his companions.

"Okay," said Griphook, disappearing from the room. He had evidently understood what Tarek had wanted, but Severus, on the other hand, did not.

"Why?" demanded Severus, eyeing them suspiciously.

"Let's just say, you do not look like you are in your early twenties," said Tarek.

Severus paled. Really? He was here in his older form and stuck like this? That might be a consequence of travelling back in time, it seemed. He would have to brew a de-aging potion; otherwise the suspicion would begin immediately. Dumbledore wouldn't leave him alone. It was going to be difficult enough to keep Harry from him, never mind trying to cope with anything else. The monumental task he had taken on was already getting to him. He was tense, worried, and trying to figure out how best to do this.

"He is there," said Griphook reappearing. They had their own way of getting around, not something they usually let wizards know about. Yet if a wizard was already here, he was already in on one of their most important secrets.

Severus swallowed thickly; that might explain why his wand wasn't working, and he would need to get a new one. Then he realized the benefits of doing it this way: his younger self could go on unawares, and he could do the things he'd always wanted to do when he completed his mastery. Oh no, he couldn't access the Prince accounts. He was literally penniless; the bloody idiotic goblin hadn't thought of that. He needed a completely new identity. Brewing potions was the only way he could possibly get money together, but without a mastery, nobody would want him to brew, either. Oh, dear Merlin, what the hell was he supposed to do? He couldn't raise a child without money or a place to stay.

"This does create a bit of a predicament," Tarek mused, wondering what was the best way to go about this. They couldn't let anyone find out about time-travel, or the Ministry would try to take their bank over again. They'd then proceed to send people back in time, just for the sake of doing it.

"You think?!" Severus snarked, his voice slightly high-pitched in panic.

"Calm down; there is a simple solution. We can simply remove one vault from the Prince inventory, putting it under your new name without making it…official, until 1991," said Tarek.

"That would be acceptable," Severus said, calming himself. "I need a de-aging potion, money from my new vault, and paperwork to prove I am who I say I am. And I need to look at Muggle properties; I am on a time-sensitive mission."

One of the three goblins sticking to the back of Tarek and Griphook moved out of the room.

"I am curious, I must admit," Tarek remarked. "Pray tell, what happened to make us reveal our biggest secret to you?"

"Harry Potter will be murdered by his Muggle family in less than half a year," Severus said bluntly. "You cannot, under any circumstances, let anyone know, especially Ragnuk; otherwise, events won't play out as they are meant to—unless he actually knew, but claimed otherwise."

"That definitely would get our attention," admitted Griphook.

"Yes, yes it would," Tarek agreed. They didn't have the sick adoration for the child that the wizards did, but they were curious. Not even they could withstand a killing curse. The boy was a mystery; there had been many a debate about how it could have happened.

"Please come to my office," said Tarek. It wasn't far; apparently the room had disappeared between 1982 and 1991. "Take a seat; would you like a tea? We have Earl Grey. It is a bit late I admit, but this isn't normal circumstances."

"How late?" Severus asked, surprised. He'd left during the day; he'd wrongfully assumed it would still be the same time of day at least.

"It's nearing midnight," said Griphook, coming into the room, passing the potion to the wizard before giving the paperwork to Tarek. Tarek accepted it and handed out the cups of Earl Grey.

"I need a name that you will use," said Tarek, quill in hand, poised, waiting for Severus to come up with a name.

"Septimus," Severus said, smirking in amusement. He sipped the warm brew, grateful for it, feeling much calmer already.

Griphook coughed, finding it rather fitting and amusing: Septimus Severus had been an emperor back in Roman times. Severus Snape had a wicked sense of humour apparently, and, as a goblin, he liked that.

"Last name or first?" enquired Tarek, hiding a grin.

"First," replied Severus firmly, "For the last, I think I will use Regis," which meant Prince in Latin—well, actually, it meant "of the king," but it was close enough.

"Septimus Regis is it. Now, what age are you going to use?" asked Tarek.

"Eighteen," Severus replied. "January 9th for the date."

"Very well," Tarek nodded, continuing, "School?"

"Home-schooled; Mastery in Potions," said Severus; he was not going to go without that qualification. He had worked hard to gain his Mastery, and so thought that anyone willing to drop it from his personal history had to be utterly insane.

The goblin nodded, not surprised by the request.

"Vault number 211 has over three million Galleons, more than enough to see you living well for the next ten years," Griphook told him while handing him over a pouch, a key, financial statements, and all the other necessary documents, including a listing of properties, all Muggle in nature, since that was what he had requested.

Severus quickly flipped through the brochure of houses, looking for one that was the most secluded, yet still met his needs. Only four of them met the requirements; he needed a large basement, a large garden, and at least two or three bedrooms. The condition of the house mattered little to him, since he could make it look like new with a few flicks of his wand, or rather, of the new wand he would be getting. In the end he chose the one with the least necessary maintenance and the one most similar to his quarters at Hogwarts and Spinner's End. "How long will it take?" he asked, handing the brochure over, open at the page of the property he was interested in.

"As you know, we have our hands in many Muggle companies; this particular property belongs to us. It is yours whenever you want it," said Griphook.

"Then remove the purchase price from my vault. I'll have to wait until morning to go to Ollivander's for a wand." Severus grimaced; not only was he smarting at the fact that he couldn't use his current wand, but also that he would have to return for another. Ollivander would know who he was, of that Severus was certain.

"I know a wand-crafter who owes us a few favours; if you wish, we could have the problem cleared up in less than ten minutes," Griphook said with a smirk; he'd helped the wizard out of a few sticky situations.

"That would be agreeable," said Severus, inwardly relieved. The thought of being without a wand all night left him feeling very exposed and vulnerable in a way he hadn't felt since he was a young boy.

"I shall be right back," Griphook told him, leaving the room.

"This will change your looks enough to avoid anyone suspecting that you're Severus Snape, should you wish to roam around the wizarding world. In fact, if your younger self saw you, even he wouldn't recognize you. It also slightly changes your magical signature," Tarek said, sliding over a cord necklace with a pendant, a crest with a motto. It was one Severus found was familiar to him; he saw it upon entering Gringotts all the time. _Fortius Quo Fidelius,_ or Strength Through Loyalty.

"How much would I change?" asked Severus, feeling the protective magic imbued in the small pendant.

"Not much; see for yourself," suggested Tarek, conjuring a mirror from a ruby on his desk. As always, the goblin didn't need a wand.

Severus placed the pendant around his neck, and, true to Tarek's word, he didn't change overly much. His features softened a little, making his cheekbones and chin look less pronounced. His nose, much to his sadistic amusement, also changed, becoming more button-like. His eyes became blue; he did not like that at all. His hair became thinner, shorter, and more flyaway. He was different, just not too much. He certainly wouldn't recognize himself staring at that face anyway, that was for damn certain. That meant he could show the world his face, when he created the potions that he hadn't had the time to before, because of teaching snotty-nosed brats. He wouldn't be wearing it constantly; just if he came to the Magical world. Raising Harry, he doubted that would be often. He could make do with a house elf to go shopping for him. Perhaps he should enquire about getting one. He'd never had one, nor even thought about how to go about it.

"How do I go about bonding to a house elf?" asked Severus, unable to bring himself to say "purchase;" it was too slave-like for him. He had a mark put on him by another, and he hated it; if he could, he would remove it.

"You will be raising Harry Potter, is that not correct?" enquired Griphook coming in, having heard Severus' query.

"Yes," said Severus.

"Then there are four, I believe, in Potter Manor; they are bound to serve the heir. As you are his guardian, they will serve you too—unless, of course, you have knowledge of the future which would make it impossible," Griphook told him.

"It lies untouched," said Severus, without being obvious about it.

"Then it should be simple enough; just call on them," Tarek said.

"I do not know their names," Severus said wryly.

"I believe their names are Clay, Patter, Adair, and Heather," Griphook replied.

"How do you know so much about the Potter accounts?" Severus asked suspiciously. He knew this goblin, and Ragnuk hadn't said it was Griphook during the will reading—or rather, he hadn't specified which goblin it had been, he remembered now.

"I trained under the current manager of the Potter estate, when I first began working at Gringotts," said Griphook. You trained in everything before starting on the carts, and worked your way up from there. "Harold Potter had just begun learning about his duties as heir and completing his training in the Auror academy."

"Clay!" Severus called.

"Yes sir?" the house elf responded, appearing out of nowhere, confused as to why and how he had been called.

"As of tonight, you will be serving the new Potter heir, all of you. I need help in making his new house a home. I have a list of things which need to be done posthaste; can you do it?" Severus asked, scribbling away on a piece of paper; the list was longer than he had expected it to be, growing ever longer with things he realized he needed as he continued to write.

"Of course, sir, right away, sir!" squeaked Clay, overjoyed, jumping up and down, his floppy ears flapping noisily.

"This is the property. It is in a Muggle area, but secluded; you shouldn't be seen, but be cautious nonetheless," Severus instructed, handing over the list. He didn't trust anyone when it came to making potions, so he would be brewing everything Harry required himself. No doubt this would take all night, but it must be done. "Go to the infirmary in Hogwarts and retrieve these three potions for me as well," added Severus, writing on more parchment.

"I will be doing that," said Clay.

A knock on the door startled them, but Griphook went to answer it.

"Meet me back at the new property," Severus said, nodding curtly and giving the house elf permission to leave without saying anything.

"Yes, sir!" said Clay, popping away.

"So you need a new wand?" Taylor Scott asked once the tall, dark wizard had turned to look at him.

"Indeed," said Severus impatiently: every minute he was here, instead of getting Harry out of that Muggle hell, was torture. This was better than having to wait all night, but he couldn't do anything without his wand. In fact, it was Dark Magic he was attempting; he would have to be able to do it as soon as he removed Harry from Privet Drive.

"Let's see if we have a wand that fits you!" Taylor said brightly, removing boxes from his bag. "What is your old wand made of?"

"Ebony, dittany; eleven inches," Severus answered bluntly.

"I see," Taylor said, removing more wands from his bag before handing him one.

Severus swished it, causing all the drawers to smash open.

"Nope, not for you," Taylor said, taking it back hastily and offering another. "Definitely not!" he cried when yet more items smashed. And, "No," he said again, closing another box. "Not this one either. You are a tricky customer! Perhaps you need a different kind of wand…the complete opposite of your usual one," he added thoughtfully, digging into his bag. Bringing out another wand, he handed it over, holding his breath.

Severus flicked it, and warmth surrounded him as his magic accepted the wand and it merged with his core.

"Very unusual combination. Maple, a symbol of giving oneself so others may benefit; also eleven inches," Taylor informed him.

"The core?" enquired Severus.

"A phoenix feather," Taylor replied, "symbolising renewal and rebirth. It was hard to be chosen and knew a wide variety of magical capability.

"I see," Severus said, inwardly surprised at that. "Here." He removed a handful of Galleons and gave them over to the man, ignoring his protests. He had gotten out his bed on what was probably now Christmas night to tend to him. "Thank you," he added. The words felt unfamiliar on his lips, but they were deserved; he was just too elated to have his magic working again.

"No problem," Taylor replied, packing everything away again, eager to get back to bed. It was too cold to be up and about, especially down here. With that, he left without saying another word, just a nod at Griphook.

"Good luck, Master Snape," said Griphook, bowing to him. He obviously understood the need to keep a low profile; his actions since appearing here had proven that without a doubt. "Or should I say, Septimus Regis?"

"Thank you," said Severus. With renewed purpose in life, he stepped out of Gringotts, ready to take on whatever life threw at him. He took with him the letter Lily had written to him, safely ensconced in his pocket for whenever he felt worried.

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><p>I wish to thank Jordre and Jake for editing this story - thank you!<p> 


	10. Chapter 10

**Fixing Past Mistakes **

**Chapter 10 **

**Retrieving Harry **

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><p>Severus Apparated to Privet Drive, not having to worry about being seen since, apart from the few streetlamps, the area was cloaked in darkness. If someone had seen his apparation, they would have thought it was merely a trick of the light. Nobody truly believed in magic anymore, so even if the Muggles saw it, they'd try to rationalise it, although that wasn't true for them all. A few of them actually believed in magic, but their beliefs were more geared towards voodoo... as if that would work.<p>

Severus observed the house, already having a fair idea of where, exactly, Harry would be. He halted, his foot raised, as if he'd been frozen in mid-step. What if he couldn't get into the property because of his Dark Mark? Would the wards see him as a threat? They were there, but deeply fragmented and dull, evidently not working to their full capacity. This might be because Harry was already dying; breathing deeply, he walked over, praying to Merlin that it worked. Each step he took was slow and calculated; as he walked, he concentrated on the fact that he didn't mean Harry any harm, that, in fact, he wanted to rescue him. Hopefully the wards would pick up on that.

Severus climbed over the gate from the back yard, not wanting to risk having it make noise and disturb anyone. Then he began walking up the path. He could feel the wards prickling at his skin, but they were letting him through, for which he was eternally grateful. He noticed a ward that stopped dark creatures; evidently Dumbledore hadn't wanted to risk Lupin getting near, although anyone with half a brain would have just waited for the child to come out of the property. Not that that tactic would have worked, since he obviously didn't get out; otherwise someone surely would have noticed the condition he was in.

Grasping the door handle, he was just about to open it, when he felt the wards encompassing him completely. What the hell? Gasping in awe, he was barely able to keep himself upright. The wards had attached to him! Why? How? He wasn't related to them, of that he was certain. What had Dumbledore said? That love would keep the boy safe? Did he love Harry? Maybe loving Lily was enough. He wasn't certain, perhaps his wanting to keep Harry safe was enough incentive for the wards. Magic was a living thing; nothing and nobody could really predict it. Even wands acted oddly at times, and none more so than phoenix-related wands, since the animals themselves were unpredictable and untameable.

Lily's sacrifice would live on in him, and, through him, her son.

Severus non-verbally opened the door; he opened it only far enough for him to slide into the house before closing it again. Taking a deep breath, he lit his wand just a little, inwardly realizing this wand was much more…user-friendly than his last. Looking around and walking carefully, he avoided the table with the telephone on it as he continued inward. It took him no time at all to get to the door of the cupboard. He distastefully noticed the air vent and lock already affixed to its door. Closing his eyes, he struggled to keep a tight rein on his anger. He couldn't change anything. He couldn't kill the Dursleys…at least, not yet. No; there would be a time when he could, once time caught up with itself; there were so many kinds of Muggle poisons to choose from.

Undoing the latch that was currently locking a three-year-old into a disgusting, dust-filled cupboard, he then opened it. Swallowing thickly, he caught sight of the child, and the reality was so much worse than the picture. Steeling himself, he cast a sleeping charm on the child, not wanting him to wake up. As silently as he entered, he gently removed the almost-weightless child from the confines of his prison. Grabbing an empty vial from his cloak, Severus turned it into scissors and snipped a piece of dirty hair from the child. Then he turned the scissors into a needle; whispering a silent apology he delicately pierced Harry's thumb before the vial was turned back to normal via another spell.

"_Genus capillatura corpus fabrico animus_," Severus softly whispered, and, before his eyes, an exact replica of Harry created itself out of the hair, the blood, and his magic. It had every single one of the bruises Harry had; he turned away, sickened at how thin the duplicate looked. He knew that under those horrible rags the real Harry was wearing, he would look the same. The doppelganger was breathing, and would continue to do so until it died. Even then, it would look exactly the way it was upon drawing its last breath. It was merely a golem; if they had checked "Harry" more carefully, they would have realised that. The only difference was that this being didn't have a soul or feelings. Even he wouldn't wish pain on anything, even something merely created by magic.

Once the spell was complete, he removed the rags from Harry, placing them on the golem, his stomach twisting uncomfortably. He'd done and seen many things as a Death Eater, but this…was a whole other ball game. The Dark Lord hadn't gone around torturing and killing babies or children; Longbottom and Harry had been an exception, because he'd feared they would indeed kill him. He would regret revealing the contents of that prophecy for the rest of his life. Thanks to him and Lucius, two boys were growing up without their parents; the cynical part of him acknowledged reluctantly that if it wasn't for Harry, a lot more children would be growing up without family... or not growing up at all, for they likely would not have survived the encounter―the Dark Lord wasn't that merciful.

Severus quickly removed his cloak, wrapping the three-year-old up comfortably, adding a heating charm as well as removing the overly soiled diaper. It was cold, standing outside the cupboard; never mind what it was like inside it, with any heat source cut off. He froze when he heard a loud thump; cursing inwardly, he slipped the golem into the cupboard, wishing all the dark curses he knew upon the Dursleys. Then he turned the light from his wand off so he wouldn't be seen. It turned his stomach that he had to leave here without punishing them, but he didn't want to create further rips in time. Lifting the sleeping child up, he froze again when creaking was heard, and then thumping steps as someone came down the stairs. Feeling about in the darkness, he slipped into the living room, holding his breath and feeling relieved when the man went past him. He had to stop himself from cursing him when he banged loudly upon the cupboard door, chuckling evilly. Severus dug his fingers into his palm, breathing through his nose, trying to stop his magic from exploding out at the man. Breathing deeply, he watched the Muggle, vowing one day he would get his revenge on him and his wife, no matter the cost.

He watched from the shadows as Vernon Dursley got himself some cola from the fridge and... was that an entire cake that could have done four people? …before heading back up the stairs. The obese man made a point of thumping particularly loudly at the top of the steps, right over where the golem was. Growling low in his throat, Severus tightened his hold on Harry, waiting for the house to fall silent again. It finally did, once Vernon's fat arse wasn't causing the floorboards to creak in protest at his size.

Slowly, not daring to light his wand again, he made his way out of the house. Opening the door, he slipped out into the darkness of the night. Closing it again, he slipped down the path, leaving Privet Drive behind, taking with him not only Harry but also the wards protecting the house. That explained where they had gone. Not only that, but they were shining more brightly already; the magic knew he would protect Harry with his last breath. He wondered, as he Apparated away to his new home, if it had anything to do with the vow he'd sworn.

The house was lit up, as if it was welcoming him. Grateful for the light, he stalked swiftly up the long pavement of the driveway. He didn't bother taking in any of the sights; there would be plenty of time to do that later. Right now he had to make sure Harry was okay— if he could be called even remotely okay. The door was opened by Clay the house elf; thankfully, he remained quiet. Not that he could have woken Harry from his enchanted slumber, but he wasn't to know that. The house was currently being cleaned by the house elves, and it looked very welcoming already. The fire was lit in the hearth, spreading a warm glow around the living room as he entered. Then the magic of the wards he'd taken from Privet Drive exploded from him, embedding itself in every crevice of the house and becoming warmer and warmer.

"Is there any food available?" Severus asked, sitting down and laying the sleeping toddler on the couch.

"There is food at Potter Manor sir: many animals to choose from," said Heather, the most elderly of the house elves.

"Something soft, like tomato or chicken soup; something a child could drink. If you can, some milk for him, and perhaps coffee for me if you can. I will send you shopping tomorrow for everything we will need," Severus told her. "Bring what you can; I'm sure it will be used." It would be odd not cooking, he thought, since when he was away from Hogwarts he always cooked for himself. The house elves wouldn't allow it, though; a wizard wasn't supposed to cook. After all, that was their job.

"Yes, sir," said Heather, taking charge and disappearing from their new home.

"Can Clay help?" asked the house elf, his wide green eyes staring at their little Master solemnly. They could feel the bond; there was little doubt that this was Harry Potter. They had been called the day he was born, to bond with him before being sent back to Potter Manor. Mistress Lily didn't like the way house elves were treated, generally, so she didn't want them in the house. No amount of explaining on James' part had worn down Lily's resolve on not having them stay. James had refused to free them, not just because they had been in the Potter family for generations, but because freeing them would be the most evil thing he could have done to them.

"Actually you can. I need some clean, warm clothes for a two-year-old; a baby grow if you can find one, as it will keep him warmer. And a nappy, if one can be found; perhaps some blankets also," said Severus. There was no doubt he'd need them; it wasn't as if those Muggles would take the time to potty-train him while they abused him. Once the child was better, that was a task that would fall to him, and he had no idea what the hell to do. He needed help already; he had no experience with children under the age of eleven! And what experience he had, was only to teach them potions. As always when Severus was stuck, he looked to books to help him, and so he vowed to get a few tomorrow.

"These things are in the vaults, Master Severus; shall I go get them?" asked Clay; everything in Godric's Hollow had been salvaged and placed in one of the vaults. The elves had done the salvaging, after the Muggles had stopped nosing around the property.

"Yes," said Severus. "Before you go, did you retrieve the potions I requested?" he demanded quickly before the elf disappeared on him.

"I took two of everything, sir," said Clay. Moving to the side, he grabbed a large satchel and handed it over.

The large bag of potions took Severus by surprise. Well, his other self was going to be in one hell of a bad mood when Poppy began asking for more, especially since it was winter; more students got sick then than usual.

Clay stared at the wizard, hoping he had done the right thing; it was his own fault if it wasn't, since he'd only been told to get three potions.

"Thank you," Severus finally said; it would at least let him get settled in before he had to begin brewing. Removing the potions, he laid them on the table, not even needing to read the labels to know what they were. He transfigured the bag into a potions kit, before sliding the potions in pairs into compartments, evenly spaced out. It wouldn't be as safe as a dragonhide potions kit, but it would do until he got a new one. He would have to write down everything he needed as he thought of it; he wasn't showing his face in the magical world every five minutes.

Patter and Adair were currently scrubbing away at the kitchen. They were definitely the youngest ones, and they weren't fully grown yet, Severus observed. Plus they had their curiosity written across their faces; older elves usually hid their emotions. Unless, of course, they were desperate or worried... He shook off his thoughts; when had he learned so much about house elves?

Severus stared down at the little child; he was so very thin, not even the slightest bit of chubbiness around his face. The dust and dirt were caked on his face; he smelt of urine and feces... He didn't even want to think about how long he'd been like that. Considering how wet the clothes had been when he'd removed them, it had been a long time. What to do first? Feed him? Bathe him? Heal him? No; he had to bathe him before he healed him; the wounds needed to be clean.

"I have everything you'll need, sir," said Clay, appearing in the living room again. He dropped the box and began removing everything that Severus would need right away, including bubble bath for children's sensitive skin, and sponges... Oh, he was so relieved he'd taken on the elves.

"Bring the bath supplies to the bathroom," Severus instructed, removing the pendant the goblin had given him and putting it on the fireplace mantel for safekeeping. Lifting the child, he reluctantly removed the charm keeping Harry asleep. He couldn't even give him a potion yet, not until the child had something in his stomach, or it would make him sick. The only potion you could give to someone that wouldn't cause sickness on an empty stomach was a stomach soother. Harry remained asleep despite the fact that he'd removed the spell, but Severus knew he wouldn't remain so for very long. He began walking up the stairs, trying not to jostle Harry too much, wanting him to sleep as long as possible.

He didn't have to guess which one was the bathroom, since Clay had already opened the door for him; the steam billowing out of the room let him know the bath was already being run. He entered the room just as the house elf was placing a mat at the bottom of the bath, to stop anyone from slipping and getting hurt. Keeling down, Severus tested the water, and found it just lukewarm. Nodding in satisfaction, he parted the cloak and winced; this wasn't going to work. Harry's back and front were full of blisters and red sores. "Get me a tub or pail, as well as a salve from the potion supply," he ordered immediately. He didn't have to worry about the elf's not being able to read, since Clay had had no trouble understanding the words he'd written on the parchment he'd given him earlier. Severus grabbed the sponge and cut it in half; he wasn't about to use the same part again after having to clean up the mess on Harry. Once the elf was back, Severus scooped out some of the bath water. Placing the pail on the floor, he dunked the half-sponge into it and meticulously began to clean Harry's private area.

A soft whining caused him to look up; his eyes widened upon seeing those beautiful green eyes for the first time. Dumbledore had been right about at least one thing: he did have Lily's eyes, and right there and then Severus knew he'd never hurt Harry or allow him to be hurt ever again. They were different from Lily's, though; they weren't full of life. Rather, they were full of pain.

"It's all right, little one; I'll make the pain go away soon," Severus said softly before continuing with his task. He was trying to get it over with as quickly as possible without hurting Harry further, but it was an impossibility. Apart from the whine, Harry didn't say anything. His small body was tense with pain, and he tried to close his legs just to make him stop. Once the area was as clean as Severus could get it, he spread the salve on, as quickly as humanly possible. Within a few minutes the blisters began to reduce and disappear altogether, as if they'd been healing for weeks, not just seconds. The redness began to recede until milky-pale flesh was left behind. Now he should be able to bathe Harry without further trouble. Dunking the sponge in one last time, he used the other side to clean away the salve. Nodding in satisfaction, he threw the sponge into the bin, having no intention of using it again. Even with magic, nothing could be truly disinfected properly. Otherwise wizards and witches wouldn't get sick, obviously, but they did.

It concerned Severus greatly, how quiet Harry was being. Children in pain cried; they fought tooth and nail to end it. So why hadn't Harry done any of that? Unless he was already badly scarred by what the Dursleys had done to him. He prayed to Merlin that this wasn't the case; it was going to be difficult enough raising a child without having to raise one so emotionally damaged. Lifting him up, he saw the distress written across his face; his heart bled for the boy. With one hand on his back and head and the other at his legs, he lowered Harry into the shallow bath bit by bit.

The green eyes flashed in surprise; then delight spread across his face. It was warm here, and it smelt nicer than his usual stuffy place. He didn't know this person, but he was being nice to him; the man's touch was so soft and gentle, not hard and hurting like the other people who came into his stuffy place. It was so light and warm, not dark; he didn't like the dark. This person sounded nicer, too. He didn't screech at him like the other people did, or glare at him in disgust. He wasn't dropping him, either. He liked it here a lot, and he hoped he didn't have to go back to his stuffy bed.

Severus made sure to keep his touch soft as he ran the sponge over the child's small form. He worked diligently, trying to reach every crevice so he got all of him clean. Hopefully, by the time he got Harry out of the bath, some soup would be ready. He couldn't even begin to imagine how much pain the child was in; the bruises were still there, making him feel even more infuriated. He didn't show any of it, though, not wanting to scare Harry any more than he already was. It was a good thing he was an emotionless man; otherwise, Harry would be overwhelmed by his rapid shifts in emotion. He cleaned the bathwater with his wand before wetting Harry's head. With difficulty he managed to get some mild shampoo onto his hair. Letting the bottle drop into the water, he began to scrub his hair and scalp, cleaning it thoroughly. He repeating the shampooing twice before using some conditioner; Harry's hair certainly looked like it needed it.

Lifting the child out of the once again dirty bath, Snape could hear his small whimper of protest. With no wasted movements or time, he soon had the boy wrapped up snugly in a warm towel that could have wrapped around him four times. He got himself to his knees with difficulty. He couldn't wait to take that de-aging potion; at least he knew he'd be able to keep up with an active three-year-old then, when he was feeling more himself. He was pretty sure that day would come; with love and care, Harry would flourish. He was sure of it, because he'd be damn certain to make it happen.

Walking back down the stairs, he went back into the living room with the child, finding the clothes and everything he needed waiting for him there. Sitting down, he placed Harry back in the same spot as before; the clothes would need to be enlarged to fit him... not by much, of course. Removing another salve from the potions kit, he began to put it on the bruises. Once Harry's front was done, he began on his back, which was worse. It looked as if the Dursleys had purposely dropped Harry a dozen times, or slapped him on the back; either way, Severus was not happy. At least the boy's head didn't seem to have sustained any injuries, thank Merlin for small mercies.

Once the salve had been administered and had remained on for a few minutes, he removed it with a wipe. Then he turned Harry over and proceeded to remove the salve from his front injuries.

He needed to give Harry a lot of calcium; no doubt he already had rickets due to the neglect. He would need lots of sunlight, and plenty of Vitamin D, which is found in eggs and oily fish. And Harry had to have it before the early lack of it permanently affected his bones. It wasn't even as simple as giving him a potion; there was no immediate cure for rickets. While he could give Harry a potion supplement of Vitamin D, he would get that in the nutrient potion he would be giving him. Harry was still staring at him as he mused, his green eyes wide open, but he made no move to speak. If Severus were honest with himself, he wasn't sure what to say to the child.

"Here you are, sir," Heather said, bringing through a large tray of food for both of them.

"Thank you," said Severus; he ignored the food for the moment, although Harry didn't―the child had his eyes firmly attached to it. His small stomach grumbled loudly, but Harry didn't seem to realize or care about that. No doubt such noise and action was normality for him.

Grabbing the clothes from the top of the couch, he placed Harry in the body suit with great difficulty, leaving the bottom undone so he could place the nappy on him. Once the nappy was on (and finding the tabs to fasten it left him feeling as if he'd been searching for them for weeks), he finished putting the thick blue baby grow on him, and began to do the bottom half up, without needing to undo all the snaps and start again. Proud of his achievement, he looked down at the child almost wanting to grin. It was a bit tight, but it would keep his body warmth in, so that was an added bonus.

"There, all clean and warm," said Severus, shifting Harry over to the arm of the couch so he was sitting up. His head was propped up comfortably on the pillow so he wasn't straining to keep it up. Grabbing two potions, he took a dropper and filled it up. "Open up, little one... that's it, well done," he crooned, although he knew the child wasn't going to be happy in the slightest in a few seconds. Sliding the dropper in as far as he dared, he squirted the potion down Harry's throat so he couldn't sick it back up. The other potions would have to wait until after he'd eaten something. Harry grimaced in disgust, his eyes coating with tears that never fell.

"Drink," Severus said as he placed the glass at Harry's mouth, letting him taste the milk so he knew it was all right and not something horrible. Between the two of them, they made sure not a drop was wasted, Severus pouring in a little drop and letting Harry drink it. He didn't give Harry too much, wanting him to eat at least some of the soup.

Lifting the soup up ―tomato soup, he saw― and the small spoon, he began to feed the child the warm food. As he did so, he noticed that all of Harry's teeth were through. He wasn't sure when that was supposed to happen. They were a little yellow, but other than that they seemed perfectly intact. That was something else he'd have to add to the list: toothpaste and a toothbrush for a three-year-old. That list was getting longer as the night wore on; thank Merlin the goblins had helped him, or he truly would have been screwed. It was very unlike them to show favour to wizards, or to help them—unless it had been out of fear of their secret's being uncovered; perhaps both? Either way, he was grateful.

Harry continued to guzzle the food, not letting even a single drop miss his mouth. He seemed to stare at the empty bowl as if wishing it would fill itself back up. Severus was unable to deny him; the stomach soother would prevent him from being sick, so why not? He began to feed him from his own bowl. He wasn't able to eat much of it, but he gave it a fair try.

"Don't worry little one," said Severus, "I promise you will have something to eat again tomorrow." Lifting the child up, he began to rock him back and forth, as he remembered his own mother doing to him when he was a child. It might have been a true memory, or it might have been one of the few photos from his childhood he was remembering; it didn't really matter which. He wrapped Harry up in a blanket, making sure he was kept warm. It didn't take long for the child to fall asleep, warm, comfortable, pain-free, and full for the first time in over a year.

"Happy Christmas, Harry," whispered Severus, brushing the fringe from Harry's face. He'd done it: he was back in time; he'd saved Harry, and it actually felt like some morbid dream his unconsciousness had concocted to help the guilt. This did ease it somewhat; yet it was also intensified, as all the things he'd thought of Harry over the years came back to haunt him. He'd been such a bastard; Merlin, he'd been calling a dead child spoiled, wishing to give him detention! A small part of Severus would have preferred that to his dying. No, Severus thought forcefully, neither had to happen; he was here, he'd changed the future, or past... whatever it was now. He would raise Harry properly; he wouldn't be spoiled, but he'd be a sight better than anyone else. He didn't know how yet, but he'd do it.

Severus then began to eat his own dinner with one hand, not wanting to let go of Harry just yet. Mostly he used the freshly baked bread to dip into the soup. This succeeded in filling him up, at least as much as he could be when he was used to the bigger meals at Hogwarts. His mind turned towards Black and the comments he'd made before Snape had gone back in time, how he'd suffer through Azkaban just for his godson to be alive. He would never like Black, of that he was certain, but knowing he was innocent and suffering with the Dementors made him feel guilty. Then there was Figg; Squib or not, she didn't deserve to be killed trying to save a child who was no longer there or in need of rescuing. He was but one man; how could he change it without affecting the timeline or possibly causing a rift in time?

Sighing softly, he placed Harry back down on the sofa, despite his mew of protest― how did he know he'd been put down? He should have been deeply asleep by this time. Digging into his cloak pocket, Severus found the de-aging potion, as well as the letter from Lily. Clutching the letter tightly, he closed his eyes; if his younger self had gotten this now…he would have been able to move on and forgive himself.

Uncorking the potion, he sniffed at it, identifying it; it was exactly what he'd asked for: a de-aging potion. He was a Potions Master, he would be stupid not to make sure it was right before drinking it. Inspecting the vial, he allowed a few millilitres to drop out. He didn't want to end up underage, after all; finally satisfied, he drank the potion in a single gulp. As if he'd drunk Polyjuice Potion, he began to shrink and get slightly shorter; his face and hands became softer, less wrinkled and calloused before the changes stopped altogether. Conjuring a mirror, he looked at himself in satisfaction; he looked around nineteen years old, but he knew he was around seventeen in actuality, if he remembered rightly.

Nodding in approval, he banished the mirror; exhaustion was beginning to creep up on him. Just four hours earlier he'd been at a will-reading! Before that, he'd been burying the child beside him, and before that he'd been watching the child's coffin being removed from the Muggle cemetery the dead child been stuck in. It had been one hell of a day, and he was surprised it had taken up to now for him to feel the need for sleep.

Standing up, without the usual aches and pains, he lifted the sleeping child up and walked up the stairs, looking in each of the rooms before deciding which one he wanted. He decided upon the back room; not only was it the biggest, but it also had the least amount of moonlight filtering in. He liked the darkness; living in dungeons for so long, it was hardly surprising. Once he got to the bed, which smelt fresh and airy, he placed Harry on the far side. Flicking his wand, he created a safety ward―this would prevent Harry from falling off the bed. Inwardly he thanked Pomfrey for that; he'd been there when she'd used the spell on one of her sick patients― one of his Slytherins who had come down with dragon pox, if he remembered correctly.

He began unbuttoning his robes, which was a painstaking process, since he had thirty buttons to undo. Removing his tight-fitting teaching robes, he suddenly realised he wouldn't have to wear them again. He had no reputation to uphold; he could wear whatever he wanted. Discarding the robes on the floor without a thought. Only then did Severus notice something awe-inspiring and shocking: the Dark Mark he'd carried for over fourteen years was gone… He reluctantly acknowledged to himself that it would probably re-appear when he aged once more, most likely at the age he had been when he first received it. Only time would tell, but Severus really did hope it remained gone. Sliding under the sheets, now in just his t-shirt and boxers, he eased Harry under the covers as well, making sure not to cover his face with the bedding. He would get Harry a proper toddler bed tomorrow; it was going to be one of the busiest days he'd ever had.

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><p>I wish to thank Jordre and Jake for editing this story - thank you!<p> 


	11. Chapter 11

**Fixing Past Mistakes **

**Chapter 11 **

**Guilt And Settling In **

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><p>Severus' mind automatically began waking up at six a.m. on the dot, since it was his usual routine. The entire room was still cloaked in darkness. Severus felt his heart sink as he remembered his dream. It had felt so real, he wished he could have remained in the dream. Unfortunately, time-travel just wasn't possible; if he had been able, he would have done it in a heartbeat and saved both Lily and Harry from their fates. His life had no meaning; he'd been living solely to make sure Harry beat Voldemort, that the last part of Lily survived. It was what she would have wanted; it was his fault she had died, so it had been his penance. It didn't matter that part of him had hated Harry, for the sole reason that he was James Potter's son; the child was still Lily's, and he'd been determined to see him live on. That vow was useless now; Harry was gone. Severus sat up, and realised that his body didn't have the constant aches and pains he'd put up with for years. Oddly, he also didn't have a hangover; with the amount he'd drunk yesterday, he should have one. He couldn't even remember going to bed. He hoped Lupin and Black weren't still in his quarters; he didn't trust them not to nose around in his private things.<p>

Moving around in the bed, he froze when his hand met a warm leg; his breathing hitched. His hands investigated the lump blindly; his breathing grew ragged and he swallowed thickly. It hadn't been a dream after all; he really was back in time. Jumping out of the bed, he searched for his wand, wondering where he'd put it. He hissed as he stubbed his foot against something wooden. Finding the puddle of his clothes, he knew they were his teaching robes since they were so thick and firm, not something comfortable at all.

Finding the pocket, he drew out the wand, then whispered, "Lumos," allowing only a small mote of light to appear at the tip of his brand-new wand. Severus couldn't help but remember that it was a new one. It was the same size as his old one, but he could feel the difference. He couldn't help but wonder why his old wand had refused to work; could it have something to do with the fact that his other, younger self was currently using it? It was the only plausible scenario he could think of.

Looking around the room, he saw that it was basically empty of anything other than the bed. Too bad he couldn't just get things moved from Hogwarts or Spinner's End. He couldn't touch anything that might affect the timeline, which meant he couldn't even let Minerva know what was going on. She would go through the pain of finding out that Harry was dead. Breathing deeply, he acknowledged that she would only have to go through that pain for two days; he vowed he would reveal himself and Harry as soon as his other self used the time device at Gringotts, which would be the day after Harry's funeral, or rather, the golem's funeral. He'd saved Harry, and that was the most important thing right now, although he did feel very guilty for leaving Black to rot. His robes in hand, he realized he couldn't be seen wearing them. Not many wizards chose to walk around in the robes he did, and he couldn't risk being mistaken for the Severus Snape of this time. He transfigured them into a pair of tight-fitting trousers and a white top. It would have to do until he bought himself new clothes.

Looking at Harry, he could see that the child was still deeply asleep, which was probably a good thing. Sleep would help him get better... well, that and potions, of course. He couldn't remain here in England all the time with him; he would have to go somewhere else, somewhere Harry wasn't known, or at least not too well-known; one would have to have lived under a rock not to have heard of him. He would need to get his immunizations, and that would require a visit to the healers. Unfortunately, he would have to get him better first; sick children should never, under any circumstances, be given anything of that sort.

He carefully moved out of the room, keeping himself as silent as possible, not wanting to wake Harry up. Inspecting the house, he found that it was brightly lit outside the bedroom. There were seven different doors, all of which Severus decided to investigate. Six of them were bedrooms; the seventh one was the large bathroom he'd been in last night. All the bedrooms except the one he had occupied were completely empty; not even a carpet adorned their floors. There was a hatch ―apparently the house had a loft― but without a ladder, he couldn't get up without apparating. He wasn't about to apparate blindly into any loft; he didn't want to run the risk of falling through it and into a bedroom. He wasn't indestructible, even if he was now eighteen years old again. He doubted very much that it had been converted into a living space, so it would be handy to have if the house needed additional storage space. Still, with the number of rooms he had, he knew it wasn't going to be needed.

On the ground floor he found quite a few other empty rooms, as well as a downstairs toilet and shower. One room would do for a study or small library; he would need books, after all. The thought of buying books that he knew the other Severus already had was slightly annoying, but needs must, as the saying went. He had enough Galleons, so it wasn't as if he was going to make himself broke.

The living room was large, making the room look squalid. It was basically empty, containing only a sofa and floor lamp, and he needed to get some other stuff in it. It felt odd, since his living room in Spinner's End only had a few more things than this one did, and it was cramped.

Walking into the kitchen, he gaped. Compared to all the other rooms, this one looked lived in. The large island in the middle of the kitchen was loaded with food, all home-preserved and packed in jars. There were pickles, olives, pineapples, pears and cherries, and an assortment of other fruit. Then there was Tupperware filled with meats: chicken, mince, and beef. Freshly baked bread cooled on a counter, and there was everything a kitchen would require, including an old bread and pizza oven, a selection of large knives, pots and pans, plates, cutlery... the whole nine yards.

He noticed small niches with padding in them and realised the elves planned on sleeping in the kitchen. With so many free bedrooms, he felt awful that they were squeezing themselves into such small areas. He looked over at the utility room, and made his decision. Flicking his wand, he levitated the washing machine and dryer from the room, and placed them in an unused corner of the kitchen, behind the door. The small room would do the Elves just fine. It might be small to him, but to the elves, he imagined, it would make a large room.

"This is your room to do with as you wish; I do not want to see you sleeping in cupboards. Is that understood?" said Severus impassively, cruel to be kind. House elves would feel uncomfortable with largesse coming their way, so he had to make it seem as though it were for his benefit.

"Yes, sir," said Heather immediately, her eyes bigger than normal. That whole room was for all of them? It was so big, and he had said to do as they wished with it! Not even Master James had given them such freedom.

"Do any of you have the ability to sew?" asked Severus.

"No sir," Clay said, his ears drooping, feeling like a failure.

"Very well," said Severus; he wasn't surprised, given the state of their attire. They had probably been really nice once upon a time. At least they'd had a uniform to wear, unlike those serving some people he could think of in…the future. Perhaps it would be best to have one who could sew; with a child, he was sure plenty of clothes would need to be patched up. It also wasn't wise to forget the elves' things; they needed new apparel, and they would need to make it themselves; he couldn't give them clothes without freeing them. Wait, he couldn't free them…could he? Was he their Master until Harry was older, since he sort of had custody of Harry? It wasn't anything legal, of course, since that wasn't possible. According to his paperwork, however, he had a son, Harry Regis. It wasn't the best name, but it would do. The goblins had thought of everything. As long as nobody cast a _parentis_ spell on him, no one would be any wiser.

"Do you want breakfast, Master Snape?" Clay asked.

"To everyone other than myself and Harry, my name is Septimus Regis. Nobody is to know I am Severus Snape, is that understood?" Severus said seriously. "Letting anyone else know my true name will result in immediate dismissal and clothes for everyone." He had to give them this warning, showing them how serious the situation was.

"Yes sir," Clay acknowledged worriedly.

"Glad to hear it," Severus replied, breathing easier. He wasn't sure how they had known his real name, but he didn't care enough to ask. "You may begin making breakfast in half an hour. For now, I'm going out, and I might be gone a while…you must look after Harry. If he wakes up, give him something to eat, and let him know I'll be back soon. He is not used to house elves, so do not be concerned if he doesn't react well. If he doesn't calm, you may come and get me, since I will be in the magical world."

"Yes sir; we will be doing as Master wishes," said Heather.

"Very well," said Severus. With that he walked back through to the living room, grabbing the pendant the goblins had given him, and placing it around his neck. He was now, for all intents and purposes, Septimus Regis; nobody would recognize him as Severus Snape. There was something oddly liberating about that, and he wanted to take full advantage of it.

Severus apparated to Diagon Alley; to his amusement, it looked exactly the same as it had been in his own time. That wasn't really a shock. Nothing ever changed; the wizarding world was living as backwards as it could― trying to keep itself separate from the Muggle world, no doubt. There would come a time when it would have to adapt to the new ways; there were more Muggleborns than Purebloods now. More and more people were choosing to live in a more advanced society, even if it was among Muggles, giving up their magic— or rather, the ability to use it freely. The fact that there weren't jobs available for the Muggleborn children was another reason they chose to go back.

Walking into Gringotts, he handed his key to the closest goblin, which happened to be Griphook. Setting the key down, he swiftly demanded a pouch connected to his vault. He didn't want to have to come here every time he wanted to purchase something. Griphook immediately set out to do what Severus ―no, that wasn't who he was right now, but Septimus Regis, the goblin thought with a secret smirk― desired. With two spells on a black bottomless pouch, it was done; making his way back from the office to the teller booth, Griphook handed it over.

"Thank you," said Severus.

"No problem, Mr. Regis," Griphook said professionally. Since it was so early, he was on the teller line, as nobody needed to go down to the vaults. Only he saw the brief glint of quickly muffled amusement in the tall wizard's eyes.

Once that was done, Severus removed himself from Gringotts, aware of all their beady eyes on him. No doubt they were curious, although if any of them had even a vague idea of what had happened, they never let on. They probably never would, come to that.

Potage's Cauldron Shop's sign loomed over Severus as he came up to the entrance. Once inside, he didn't waste time looking around, merely grabbing everything he would need. Five pewter Cauldrons in various sizes, three brass ones, five in copper, and also six silver ones. Now, he didn't normally buy copper or silver cauldrons, but since he would have more time to experiment, maybe he could actually invent the potions he'd so longed to. He didn't buy a collapsible cauldron; that was just a disaster waiting to happen, in his opinion. All the cauldrons he bought also had a self-stirring mode, which was an added bonus. Not that he frequently used the capability, preferring to do it himself so no mistakes were made. He paid the proprietor and shrank his selections immediately afterwards, then walked straight across to the other side of the Alley where the apothecary was.

Slug and Jiggers Apothecary felt almost like a second home to him, apart from the smell. Neither his home nor his potions lab smelt like this, somewhere between bad eggs and rotten cabbages, neither of which items they sold. It definitely smelt off; thankfully, the smell of the shop didn't affect the ingredients. Grabbing a large basket, he began to put nearly every ingredient he came across into it. He even added ones he didn't normally use, wishing to experiment with various things. He was sure he could both raise a child and brew potions, even if he only did the theory work while Harry was awake. The vials the liquid ingredients were sold in were unbreakable, so he didn't have to worry about them combining and causing explosions or other accidents. The dry ingredients, such as the powders and herbs he picked, he placed into separate brown bags. He didn't normally have to buy his own supplies; anything he wanted was freely available at Hogwarts, with the exception of his own personal cauldrons and the more expensive ingredients that weren't used in any of the students' potions. As he paid his bill, he sighed; stocking up like this cost quite a bit, but when he started making money it wouldn't matter; the funds would be replaced.

Making his way along the alley, he completely ignored the Quidditch shop, his lips unconsciously curling as he passed it. He didn't like the sport. Like Lily, he felt better when both his feet were planted firmly on the ground. That wasn't to say he couldn't fly, because he could, and very well, too. He just preferred not to, although he did compete with Minerva on whose House would win the cup each year, betting on the Gryffindor and Slytherin games; it was all in good fun. If he remembered correctly, Charlie Weasley was at school in this time, or would be soon, and he'd be losing for a few years.

Entering Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, he picked up a few children's robes in different colours, not just black. Harry was a wizard and would be learning everything Severus could teach the boy about his world. It was the one thing Lily had requested of him, that Harry learn of his wizard heritage from him, and he'd see to it. He also picked out a few robes for himself— not his usual teaching robes, since he didn't have children to teach. He didn't buy any other clothes from here; he'd be buying the rest from Gladrags, as well as various Muggle shops. Paying for the robes, he shrank them and put them in a different pocket than the potion ingredients and instruments were in.

As he walked out of Madam Malkin's, he noticed a small shop directly across the way, selling house elves. It must not have survived into later years, since he honestly couldn't remember it being there. Either that, or it had moved further down, into Knockturn Alley. There was something awfully familiar about the house elf he could see displayed in the window. Stepping closer, his eyes widened in shock. Of course, how could he have not realized? What was his name? Dippy? Dappy? No; Dobby, that was the name. At least he was clean and appeared unharmed, even if he was in a bloody cage like an animal. He wouldn't remain that way, not once Lucius Malfoy got his claws into him. When Severus had seen him at Lucius' heels in the future, more often than not the elf had had sores and injuries on him. The sadistic Pureblood forced his elves to punish themselves if they did anything that he perceived as wrong.

He didn't need any other house elves, but he couldn't, in all good conscience, allow the poor thing to be abused, not when he had the ability to prevent it. Would that drastically change the timeline? It would, but the longer he was here, the less he wanted to stick to it. Unfortunately, his intelligence wouldn't allow him to risk it. This house elf, on the other hand…he couldn't see how it would change things too drastically. He looked to be the only elf on the premises; perhaps the idiot who had them hadn't been able to get others and closed up shop? Making up his mind, he walked over and entered the shop before he could change it.

"How much?" "Septimus" demanded, glaring ferociously at the shopkeeper. It was very similar to the manner in which Severus glared, but he couldn't make himself care. Keeping a house elf in a cage was just wrong on so many levels. They might not be considered human, but they had feelings just like everyone else. Severus froze; since when did he start giving a shit about house elves? His mind drifted to Harry in the cupboard, and realized that the little boy was responsible for his new feelings. He couldn't even work up the emotion to be annoyed.

"Five Galleons," stuttered the wizard, wanting to duck under his counter.

Severus threw the money at him before stalking over and practically ripping open the cage confining the elf. "Out," he ordered.

Dobby, wide-eyed and wary, emerged and climbed down from the cage, facing the angry wizard who was going to be his new Master. Magic flared, bonding Dobby to Severus Snape; nothing short of clothes would free the elf now.

"You are free to use your magic as you see fit; you must never punish yourself for any transgression you think you've committed," Severus bluntly commanded.

Dobby gaped, unable to believe his ears. Free to use magic? Quickly adoration began to spread across his face. "Yes sir!" the overwhelmed house elf squeaked, preventing himself from jumping up and down by sheer will power.

"You will receive further orders at home; I assume you know where that is?" asked Severus. Being bonded, the elf would know where his primary residences were, and know there were other elves there. It wouldn't be Hogwarts or Spinner's End, since he was basically a different person now that his magical signature was different. He didn't know if it was enough to fool the house elves. Judging by the fact that the others had called him "Snape," he surmised that was a big fat "no." At least this elf seemed to have the sense to stay quiet.

"Yes, sir," Dobby answered solemnly.

"Good. Go," Severus ordered; once the elf had disappeared, he prepared to leave the shop himself. He still had so much to do, and it was already after seven a.m. The alley was already beginning to fill up with wizards and witches doing their shopping. Staring around the empty shop, he threw a sneer at the terrified wizard, who by this point had his wand clutched tightly in his hand. _As if that would save him_, Severus though with a sneer; he could kill the wizard before the man could pronounce a single spell. He hadn't been a favoured Death Eater for nothing; he was fast with his wand, and most of the other Death Eaters had known not to mess with him— that was, apart from the Lestranges and Crouch; now they had just been insane. They hadn't been able to blend back into normal society after the Dark Lord fell, and that was why they had been captured and imprisoned, though not before causing the insanity of two Order members. He actually had been able to tolerate the Longbottoms, which had made him feel guiltier about the prophecy.

But he was done now with Diagon Alley; there was nothing else he needed here. There were only a few other shops at the end he hadn't visited: the magical menagerie, Gambol and Japes (a joke shop), Ollivander's, and, of course, the second-hand robe shop. He apparated to Hogsmeade, just missing the blond-haired man, Lucius Malfoy, strutting down the street.

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><p>Snape apparated onto the road right next to the shop he was most interested in. Gladrags was a very well-established business. They had branches in Paris, here in Hogsmeade, and, of course, in London. There was a rumour they'd been about to open another branch, but he wouldn't find out now for eight, nearly nine years. Shaking off his thoughts, he realised he had to be hasty; he'd already been gone longer than he'd intended. Despite the fact the elves hadn't come to him, he still felt unduly worried. Chastising himself for being idiotic, he opened the door and took a basket, then started looking around the shop, placing the items he needed into it. No matter how much he put in the basket, he never ran out of room. He didn't buy their socks; he might not have his reputation to keep up any longer, but he wouldn't be seen dead in any of those. They were utterly disgusting. No; he would be going to the Muggle world, their selections of socks were much better. Paying the shop clerk, he also shrank these purchases and exited the shop, his stomach rumbling loudly. He'd not eaten properly for nearly three days. He hadn't been able to stomach food, due to his knowledge of what had happened to Harry and the events that had followed. All he'd had was the bowl of soup, last night if he remembered correctly. Then again, he had de-aged himself to a time when he hadn't got much to eat.<p>

Severus was about to Apparate home when he thought about Honeydukes; groaning silently, he gave in and quickly stalked over. He got a good selection of chocolate for himself, since he couldn't drop everything and come to the magical world to get what he needed whenever the urge struck him. It wouldn't be good for Harry if he just kept leaving him with house elves all the time. Under no circumstances could he bring Harry here, not even under glamour charms. Thinking of Harry, he realized it wouldn't hurt to have a small selection of sweets for him, too. That way he could reward good behaviour and encourage him in the future.

There; he finally had everything he needed from the magical world; he could go home, get breakfast, and start the gruelling process over again, this time in the Muggle world. He hadn't even done half of what he needed to accomplish, yet he was already exhausted. Apparating back into the house, he looked around the living room to find that it had undergone more cleaning while he was gone.

"Clay?" called Severus.

"Yes, sir?" asked the house elf, appearing in front of Severus.

"Did Harry wake?" asked Severus.

"No, sir. Heather is watching him, sir," Clay said, nodding his head vigorously.

"Has Dobby arrived?" enquired Severus.

"Master Severus called Dobby?" asked the elf in question, making an appearance.

"I did not, but now that you are here, I shall tell you the rest of the rules," said Severus firmly. He wouldn't abuse them; he knew it was much better for them to be loyal to Harry and him than to have them obey out of fear. They were only a call away, and had their own magic and could defend you. He didn't want to be betrayed, and sometimes it was better to have them care than to have them fearing you. The same could be said for humans as well; the Dark Lord treated his followers like crap, thinking it made them too terrified to betray him. Look at what he had done; no, he was doing the right thing.

"Yes sir," said Dobby solemnly, his ears drooping as he listened to his Master.

"Nobody outside the other elves and Harry are ever to become aware that I am Severus Snape. To everyone beyond these walls, and all visitors that come here, my name is Septimus Regis, and the boy upstairs is my son. This is to keep us both safe from those who wish us harm," Severus explained. "Is that understood?"

"Dobby is understanding, Master Snape," said Dobby bowing low.

"Good. Now, the other elves have been given a room for themselves; you will join them in there. I do not want to see any of you trying to fit into cupboards, or the attempt will be met with clothes; is that understood?" said Severus.

"Yes, sir," said Dobby, swallowing thickly; any talk of being given clothes always terrified house elves.

"Now what is your speciality?" Severus asked, once he was sure Dobby understood him.

"I is good at looking after babies and sewing, Master Snape," said Dobby.

"Very well. Just now I bought some fabric from Gladrags; I'd like you to make everyone matching attire…can you do that?" asked Severus.

"YES SIR!" squeaked Dobby his eyes wide and filled with determined pride.

"Indeed. Why don't you get started on that, after having some breakfast... You're dismissed," Severus added wryly when the elf didn't move after his subtle take-your-leave.

"Does Master Snape want breakfast now?" asked Clay.

"Yes," said Severus, "For both of us," he added as he moved from the living room, heading up the stairs to where the too-small-for-his-age, three-year-old Harry lay still asleep.

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><p>I wish to thank Jordre and Jake for editing this story - thank you!<p> 


	12. Chapter 12

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 12 **

**A New Home**

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><p>Severus stalked up the stairs, back to the bedroom he'd been in just a few hours prior. He'd never been more grateful to have taken that de-aging Potion. His body wouldn't have been able to cope with the demands he was making of it right now. It wasn't normal for a man in his thirties to have aches and pains the way he did, but it also wasn't normal for someone to be exposed to the Cruciatus Curse all the time. Even just those few, short years had been enough to do significant damage that he hadn't been able to repair. It didn't help that he had lived in the dungeons, a place that was cold, and cold and dampness weren't good for the body either.<p>

Stepping into the room, he found that Heather was at the side of the bed keeping a watchful eye on Harry. When she saw him come in she disappeared, giving her Masters privacy. It was the mark of a good elf to keep the place clean and tidy and not to be seen. True to Clay's word, Harry was still asleep, despite all the noise. The potions had kept him asleep longer than usual. Severus wasn't sure how long toddlers slept, but he was sure it wasn't this long. Staring at the small face, he felt reluctant to wake him up, very unlike him.

Removing the duvet, he lifted the child up, rolling his eyes in exasperation when Harry just snuggled himself against his chest and fell asleep again. _Seriously?_ Severus thought as he looked down at the child in bemusement. Sighing wryly, he took Harry down the stairs, walking slowly so he didn't accidentally end up hurting himself or, heaven forbid, Harry. It would be the height of irony if he fell and caused Harry's death so soon after saving him. Stepping into the living room, his eyebrows shot up― he'd been so busy he'd actually forgotten about it again. It was Christmas day. While wizards did celebrate it, they didn't close down their shops for the full day; it was just too much of a loss to do so. Since the wizarding world was so small, at least in the UK, it was hardly surprising. Unfortunately, he'd forgotten that most of the Muggle world closed their shops down; only a few kept them open. Those that did were only open for a few hours, and only the big chain stores such as Asda. Thankfully, they had the things he was looking for: children's clothes and a few other items, such as drawers, cupboards, and most importantly, a toddler's bed. Even at that, he was sure he would have to order them in the store and wait for them to be delivered. Since it was the Christmas season, he realized it would be a few days.

"Clay?" called Severus, as he sat down with the sleeping bundle still attached to his chest.

"Yes, sir?" asked Clay attentively.

"Are there any cupboards, drawers, and anything else we can use in the Potter manor or vaults?" asked Severus. "This is a list of things I planned on getting today; if you can get what we need, it would be greatly appreciated." He handed the elf the rather long list. He knew he had those things in Prince Manor and in his vaults, but he couldn't remove them, much to his dismay. It felt wrong somehow to be taking anything from the Potter vaults―they weren't his, but it couldn't be helped. Frowning in worry, he realised Dumbledore actually had the key to Harry's vault; he relaxed slightly once he remembered that it had only been the one to his trust vault. Not even the goblins would hand over all the keys for someone's inheritance. To be on the safe side, he swore to himself that, when it neared the proper time, he would make sure the Goblins actually gave Dumbledore the key so he would stay oblivious to this arrangement, at least until the old man ended up in the hospital wing; Severus couldn't help feeling the surge of satisfaction he got from that knowledge. It was the old coot's fault Harry had died, or rather, had almost died... this time travel was playing hob with his bloody intelligence; he was beginning to feel like an idiot.

"Clay will be right back," said the elf before disappearing with the list.

"Breakfast for Masters Severus and Harry," Heather said, coming through from the kitchen with a large tray and placing it on the newly placed table.

"Thank you. Where was the Christmas tree found?" enquired Severus. It didn't feel like Christmas to him. That could have something to do with the fact that just yesterday it had been the beginning of September for him; the weather outside didn't seem particularly bad either, from what he could remember about last night. That wasn't much; he'd been going on pure adrenaline, he'd been so exhausted.

"Patter and Adair took it from Potter Manor; does Master Severus want it taken back?" asked Heather, knowing that they really should have asked permission, but they were used to setting it up at Christmastime. Even if Potter manor was empty of people, it was tradition and important to do so. Also, until now there had been nothing better to do; the place was as clean as it was ever going to get.

"No," Severus said, shaking his head. While he didn't particularly like Christmas, he would have to get used to it. He couldn't be his normal scowling self at Christmas, not when he was raising a child. He was determined to see this done properly. Harry would have the full benefits of both worlds; he would be happy and love the holidays, not like him, who had dreaded them with a passion. He wouldn't let Lily down, couldn't let her down. She'd wanted him to raise her son, and that's exactly what he'd do. Not that he would ever be able to replace Lily, but he'd do his best to see that Harry didn't wish his circumstances were different.

"Yes, sir," said Heather quietly before leaving again.

Severus placed Harry on the couch, placing the pillows at an angle that would allow him to sit up safely. He was very pleased to see kippers on the plate; they were exactly what Harry should have. Kippers were rich in omega three, which Harry needed to prevent rickets. Hopefully he would eat them; the eggs were also another good breakfast food to have.

"Harry... wake up, little one... come on, that's it... good morning," Severus said once the beautiful green eyes opened. The wide green eyes promptly glanced over at the food; hunger and pure, unadulterated need overtook his face. It seemed he wasn't the only one hungry this morning, but that didn't surprise him.

"Would you like some breakfast?" asked Severus, staring at the child, who continued to stare at the food as if he hadn't heard Severus at all. The quietness was rather daunting; he was nearly three years old and should be able to speak. Hell, he should have been able to speak before the attack on his family; perhaps there had been damage done to Harry that they hadn't realized? He would soon find out; hopefully, if he continued to talk, Harry would pick up on it and actually speak to him.

Severus picked up the potions kit, which had remained on the couch all night. Cleaning the dropper with his wand, he pulled up two different potions before swiftly opening Harry's mouth and squirting them down his throat. He needed the potions, there was no getting away from it; thankfully he'd only need them for around three weeks, if his potions were as strong as he liked to think. It might take longer, though. He couldn't risk giving Harry any more at a time; he was, after all, just a toddler.

Ripping the kipper apart, he placed a piece of it in Harry's mouth, removing his fingers quickly when Harry bit down, already gobbling it down hungrily. Grabbing a bowl, he placed all the pieces of fish into it and placed it on Harry's lap, to see whether he would be able to eat unaided. If he managed that, he'd put the rest of his food into the bowl.

Severus began eating his own breakfast, waiting patiently to see if the child would follow suit. He was beginning to think Harry wouldn't touch it, and he didn't... at least not until Severus was half way through his own breakfast. Then the boy's small fingers grabbed onto the fish, warily watching him before he gobbled both pieces down.

"Good boy," Severus said, giving him a small rare smile as he continued with his breakfast.

Once he was finished, he began to cut Harry's food into pieces so he could manage it alone. He sliced the toast; his scrambled eggs were easy. The sausages he cut into little bits; he removed the fat from the bacon, and it broke up on its own. Placing this in the bowl, he sat back, allowing Harry to eat it at his own pace. He noticed the small child's spoon with snitches on it and put it in Harry's hand. Guiding him to the food, Snape scooped up a piece of scrambled egg; he guided this to the boy's mouth.

"Well done," said Severus proudly, watching Harry repeat what he'd done, dropping the spoon's contents once, but succeeding the second time.

Harry must have decided it was easier to use his hands, as he abandoned the spoon. Severus didn't say anything; there would come a time when he would be using utensils, but right now it wasn't important. Hearing thumping from above, he stared up at the ceiling wondering what was going on. House elves didn't normally make a sound. He held his tongue, not wanting to say anything; they were the ones doing all the hard work, after all. He wondered how long it would take Dobby to make matching clothes for all the elves; hopefully it would keep him busy. From what he'd seen, his idle hands didn't half get him into trouble, although Lucius Malfoy was an evil bastard, so he couldn't blame the elf.

Patter and Adair appeared with a large bookcase suspended between them; using magic they placed it in a corner beside the fireplace. To his surprise, Clay appeared with a box full of books, and began to place them in each available space there was on the bookcase.

Curiosity got the better of him, and he wandered over. Harry was safe; there was a spell on the cushions to make sure he didn't hurt himself. Picking up one book, he noticed that all of them were totally free of dust. A small smile played across his face as he examined the book in his hands; he could remember his mother reading from this book whenever his father wasn't around. She hadn't been a good mother, but he was fond of the remembering the times she had acted even remotely maternal. Opening it up, he noticed differences in the tales between his mother's version and this book, "twilight" being one of them― his mother had said "midnight." The Tales of Beadle the Bard; it was also Lily's favourite book, but every wizarding child found the stories thrilling. There were plenty of books here that would keep Harry occupied as he grew up.

Replacing the book, he found many other wizarding children's tales, but as he got further up the shelves, where no children's hands could wander, he found other books, ones he hadn't read. They must be extremely old and rare; they must have been taken from the Potter vaults! Those books would be rare, being that they didn't mass produce them with the magical community being so small, back in the day. Only those with money were able to buy books, and they were actually made for them, as opposed to just being available for purchase.

Putting the book back, he picked up another; this was one he wanted to show Harry. It was a picture book, filled with potion ingredients and their names. He wouldn't be able to read their names, of course, but he would, with time, remember the names of the ingredients. Looking over at Harry, his thoughts darkened slightly. How could Lupin have abandoned him? Yes, he'd been devastated to find out he was dead…but how had he remained away? He'd only had the child for a single night, and he was becoming strongly attached to him. Lupin had had nearly an entire year of knowing Harry, and he'd stayed away on Dumbledore's say-so. Such a bloody fool he was, and to be frank, Severus felt he deserved to suffer the pain he went through. It might have been the jaded part of him speaking, but it was the truth. Lupin had stayed away of his own free will. Minerva had as well, but that was Minerva; she hadn't been as close to Harry as Lupin had been.

Severus glanced into the box, and surprise flittered across his face. Placing the book he had in his hands on the mantelpiece, he picked up the book that had caught his eye. When he flipped it open, pain lanced across his face; it was an old yearbook for Hogwarts. Pictures of his classmates were on separate pages, with writing on them; this was Lily's. He realized it was mostly the girls who had written in it. Lily had been popular, even with a friend like him until fifth year.

_Good luck on your Charms Mastery x Alice _

His heart clenched. Lily had been very fond of Alice, and they'd shared a dorm for seven years. Not only that, but apparently she'd named Alice as Harry's godmother. He wondered if she had accepted Dumbledore's decision to leave Harry with the Dursleys, not that she'd had much of a chance to do anything about it, since they'd been attacked a week after Voldemort was defeated. All things considered, it was a good thing; as bad as the Dursleys were…what the Lestranges and Crouch Junior would have done to the defenceless child horrified him to the core. No, he didn't even want to think about it, it was just too terrifying to contemplate.

Lily would have done anything to help the Longbottoms; she would have gone above and beyond what any friend would have done. It was just who Lily was: a friend who would be there for anyone in need. Could he help them? Potions were capable of miraculous things, but could it really help the Longbottoms? He wasn't sure, but it was certainly worth a try; he had nothing to do here other than raise Harry.

Did Harry even remember what his mother looked like? Perhaps once his own room was set up, he could place a picture of his parents in it. As much as he hated James Potter, Harry was entitled to know what his father looked like. He was going to do this right, and set grudges aside. It was enough that he was raising James' son, at the end of the day. Would it hurt Harry to see a picture of his mother?

Walking over, he noticed that the bowl was empty; Harry had eaten everything. Picking up the glass of milk, he knelt down and helped the child drink it. He would need to get some plastic cups so Harry could drink by himself. Perhaps he would even get a small table and chair that the boy could sit at to eat his meals. He wasn't sure how long they would remain in England. It was tricky; if Harry did accidental magic... no, he was living here, nowhere near Muggles, so it shouldn't tip the register. Once the child was finished, Severus wiped away the white moustache, saddened when Harry flinched at his sudden move. He wouldn't stop; Harry would realize sooner or later he wouldn't hurt him. Starting to tiptoe around him wouldn't do Harry any favours in the long run.

Sitting on the couch, he picked the child up and placed him on his knee; the book between them, he opened it to the page that contained Lily's photo. Seventeen years old, in her Gryffindor uniform, she was beaming at the camera, her long red hair slightly messed up. Like the rest of the students that day, she'd removed the hat they were supposed to wear for the picture. As he stared down at her, his heart hurt; glancing down at Harry, he tried to gauge if he recognised her or not.

"That's your mum, Harry," Severus said quietly, pointing to her. "Mummy," he repeated; no doubt that's what he'd know her better as. He'd been but one year old at the time; to most children that age, it was "mummy."

Harry stared at the picture, but he didn't say anything. He didn't want to be hurt again, which was what the other people had done when he made a sound. The other boy had made lots of noise, and they'd come to him quickly enough. The other boy had pinched and slapped at him, making him cry, and they'd just stuck him in that horrible place and not let him come out. They only came in to hurt him when he made any noise…no, he didn't want that again. He liked this, being warm and comfy, and having food; it was the best.

"Can you say it, Harry?" Severus asked quietly. "Say 'mummy.'" Closing his eyes, he silently begged for Harry to say something, anything. What if seeing his mother killed before his very eyes had caused trauma they didn't know about? If it had, he'd put up with it for an entire year…it might very well be irreparable damage by now. He would need to be patient; he couldn't go drawing conclusions just yet. He'd give it a few weeks, maybe a month; if no change was apparent, then he would have to do something, maybe see a healer in a different country, a country that didn't have close ties to the British Minister... so Belgium was out. The USA didn't care for Cornelius, so that was a big plus. He couldn't go into Harry's mind to find out, not until Harry was five, and even then it was risky.

Did the man want him to talk? Harry didn't understand at all, he was so confused. The other people hadn't wanted him talking, but this one did? What if he did talk and was put in the dark space again? Without food? No, he didn't want to be put in there again. His mummy, he remembered her, and what that bad man had done. She wouldn't wake up when he'd cried, and she always had woken up when he was sad. She'd always held him close and had had the nicest voice in the entire world.

Clay popped into the living room; watching the wizards, he wondered if he should just leave again.

"Yes?" Severus asked, staring at the elf in enquiry.

"Here is the list, sir," said Clay, holding out the parchment.

Severus took it and found that the elf had marked off each item presumably as he'd found it. Almost everything was marked off, even the junior bed for Harry. "You found a child's bed?" asked Severus, surprised.

"The crib turned into one, sir," said Clay quietly. It was practically an antique now, but antiques were always a favourite of wizards and witches. The one in Godric's Hollow had been broken beyond repair; it had been good for nothing but firewood. A lot of things in that room had been destroyed, but they'd managed to salvage a lot, washing, repairing, and placing them in the vaults. They were all now in Master Harry's new bedroom; he hoped Master Severus was happy with it.

"Very well; thank you," Severus said. All he had to buy now was clothes for Harry, and that would require a trip to the Muggle world. After that they would be settled in, and in it for the long haul... eight years of it. "Your hard work is appreciated."

"Thank you, sir," beamed Clay. House elves didn't receive acknowledgements very often; not even Masters Harold or James had said those things to them. He wasn't finished though; Master Severus wanted this place to be a home, so that's what Clay wanted to do: fill it up with everything they would need. By the time they were done, Potter Manor would be practically empty of everything. Nobody would be able to get in through these wards. They were very strong; even the elves had trouble getting in and out, and they weren't on the same frequency as wizards' magic.

Severus felt relieved; at least he wouldn't have to go shopping on Christmas day, although he would have preferred it, actually. He wasn't a people's person; he did not like large crowds, and shopping today would have ensured he didn't meet many Muggles. The wizarding clothes he'd bought would do for now.

"Did you bring a potty?" asked Severus, feeling ten years old using such a childish word. The word felt very odd on his tongue. Shivering, he vowed to himself to try not to use the word at all in the future. No; "child's toilet" would be the terminology he'd use from now on.

"Yes sir; shall I go and get it?" asked Clay.

"Yes," Severus said. He would begin with Harry now; at least they had nowhere to be today. It was warm enough that the child could run around without anything on and learn to use the…toilet when he needed to go. He was nearly three years old; he should have already learnt this by now. Perhaps the sweets would come into good use today, and in the following weeks.

He slightly wished he had been able to buy a few presents for the boy, but perhaps having toys to play with would be enough.

Clay returned with the toilet, placing it beside the couch where Severus was sitting.

"Which room have you placed Harry's things in?" asked Severus.

"The one next to yours, sir. Would you like me to get something?" Clay asked eagerly.

"Not at this time; take care of Harry for a few minutes," Severus replied. He wasn't about to let the house elves cater to his every whim― he wasn't a lazy man. He'd lived thirty-odd years without one, and would continue to do so. Although he had no doubt he would need their help from time to time, it would not be needed every single minute of the day. Once Harry got more used to the child's toilet, he would start having him use the one downstairs; at least it wasn't far away.

He would need to put a guard spell on the stairs, just in case Harry came out of his room at any time during the night, and Severus was certain the boy would, once he got used to the way things were. Well, maybe not in the middle of the night, but early in the morning. Opening the door, he was very surprised indeed; the house elves had gone above and beyond their duty. Flicking his wand, he cast a spell on the carpet to make it fit the room completely. He nodded in satisfaction; baby blue... it would do until Harry was old enough to decide which colour he'd like his room to be. Which would probably be another few years. Flicking his wand once more, he coloured the walls blue, and added clouds where the 'border' would be. He thought about adding a charm to make them move around, but nixed the idea.

The bed was so small in such a large room; it had a large collection of teddies on it. A large net above the bed was filled with them as well. Opening the cupboard, he wasn't surprised to see all the clothes he'd bought Harry hanging up, all neat and tidy. He didn't need to look in the drawers to know they were filled with the things he'd gotten for Harry too. Opening one, he removed a pair of underwear. Harry would need them on; he couldn't go around starkers all day... that's if he even moved.

There weren't many toys, he observed as he looked into the toy box, finding mostly educational ones, particularly for hand-eye coordination, and learning shapes and sizes; there was also a little pig with coins inside it. Picking up the toy box, he grabbed the small comforter from the end of the bed as an afterthought. Making his way back down the stairs, he placed the comforter on the floor beside the couch and placed the toys in the middle. Adding the pillows, he placed Harry in the middle of them. His toys were now strewn around him, giving him a choice in which he chose to play with. Placing him on his back, Severus removed his blue baby grow and body suit. Throwing them on the couch, he placed the underwear on the child, before putting on his t-shirt, which had a little snitch on it. Snape had to charm the shirt a little larger so it fitted him perfectly, before doing the same with his blue jumper.

Once that was done, he picked him back up, and removing the underwear, placed him on his little toilet.

"This is for when you need to go to the toilet…when you need to…pee-pee," Severus said, his face almost flushing red at having his vocabulary shoot down another notch.

Harry stared at Severus blankly; then, almost as if he understood him, he did the toilet.

"Good boy!" Severus praised him, extremely pleased. Once Harry was done, he stood him up on his feet and replaced the underwear. Summoning the sweets he had got, he removed a sugar quill and handed it to Harry. Placing him back in his pillow seat, he put the sweet into Harry's mouth, letting him know what it tasted like. Sniffing at the horrible smell, he banished the pee.

Severus moved over to the box and began rummaging inside it, trying to find something he could use to write with. Most books had a piece of paper at the front or back that he could use. Then he found a plain brown leather-bound book that solved his dilemma; it would serve as his potion book from now on. Sitting back down, he realized Harry was just sitting there― he looked extremely lost. Sighing softly, he put the book on the couch and slid down next to the child.

Opening the pig's plastic belly, he removed the brightly coloured plastic coins. As he slid one into the pig's slot, music started up. Placing another coin in Harry's hand, he guided him to the slot and helped him put it in. Music started up once more. He definitely had to buy more…age-appropriate toys; Harry should have outgrown these by now. Perhaps he should get a television; there were plenty of educational shows the child could enjoy.

"Go on, Harry," Severus said quietly, encouraging the child to play.

Harry gripped the coin before doing what the other man had done, listening to the music in quiet delight.

"Well done; good boy," said Severus, sitting back up on the couch and letting Harry relax and play for a while. Once he was sure Harry would play by himself, he began writing in the book, thoughtfully considering various potions he'd like to create over the coming years.

That was exactly what they did until lunch time, when Harry ate his lunch on the floor, drinking his milk by himself from a smaller cup that was easy enough for Harry to lift. Severus noticed that the boy had yet to say anything, but he wasn't about to give up so soon.

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><p>I wish to thank Jordre and Jake for editing this story - thank you!<p> 


	13. Chapter 13

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 13 **

**Living Life For The First Time **

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><p>Severus twisted and turned in his bed, trapped in the throes of a nightmare. Wakening up abruptly, his hand automatically went for his wand, even as he slowly became more aware of his surroundings. His heart thumping erratically, he breathed through it, regaining control finally. Merlin, it had been such a long time since he'd had such a violent nightmare. Breathing deeply, he removed himself from the twisted, sweat-soaked bed sheets. He looked over at the bedside cabinet, but found it empty; of course, he wasn't in Spinners End. He didn't have a digital alarm clock here; it was something he still planned on getting. Shivering in the cold, he stepped out the bed and flicked his wand, magically cleaning and straightening the bedding. Moving out of his bedroom, he entered the bathroom, flicking the light switch up and wincing as the light hurt his eyes for a few seconds. Rubbing them tiredly, he put the shower on, removing his nightwear while waiting for the water to heat up. Finally stepping in, he sighed in gratitude as the warm water cascaded over his sweat-soaked body.<p>

Severus leaned his head against the wall, not caring that it was cold; his mind dwelt on the nightmare. It wasn't the fact he'd had a nightmare that perturbed him; it was the fact that Dumbledore had been in it. Now, he'd always seen a side to Albus that very few people did. He might insist publicly that everyone deserved a second chance, but he'd never really delivered on that. He had constantly been reminded of his own failings by the old hypocrite, no matter what good he'd done since his teenage years. Yet he'd never had such a vivid nightmare about him before. He wasn't sure if it was really something the old man would do, but when it came to Harry, it seemed Dumbledore was capable of anything. He couldn't let him find out the boy was still alive, not under any circumstances; he couldn't risk being killed and Harry ending up back in the Dursleys' care… Dumbledore had been so adamant about Obliviating the Muggles and getting Petunia back at Privet Drive, no matter what she'd done. How much worse could Dumbledore get? By letting anyone get away with…well, murder, as the case was.

Would Dumbledore resort to murder if he found out? Why was he so insistent on controlling Harry's life? Surely the Prophecy would happen in its own time; not even going under the Fidelius charm had been enough to cheat or beat death. Sighing softly, Severus decided that there would be no reason for Dumbledore to suspect anything; he would make sure of it. At the first sign of Harry's accidental magic he would move... somewhere overseas. He would take no chances, not when it came to Harry's life. The boy had already died once because of the old fool's manipulations; it wouldn't happen again. He shuddered slightly; no, he'd been devastated to learn what happened the last time; he couldn't imagine what it would feel like this time. Just three days with Harry and he was besotted with the child, although admittedly he worried constantly about his not talking.

After scrubbing himself red, he exited the shower, wrapping the towel around his waist. Picking up his pyjamas, he went back through to his bedroom. He found that the elves had obviously been in, since the bedding had been changed despite his spells. Shaking his mood off, he quickly got dressed, though not because he was cold―the house was warming up. Today he was taking Harry shopping, not only to get more clothes, but he needed to get some last-minute things to make their lives complete here.

Harry was now sleeping in his own bed; Severus kept a small globe of magically-created light beside the child's bed, since he'd been woken up five times the first night. Not that Harry had cried out or said anything; it was a spell he'd set, letting him know Harry was awake and distressed. After he'd realized, or rather deduced what the problem was, Harry had slept fine afterwards. No doubt he'd been terrified to think that he was back in that damn cupboard—which made Snape think of the stuffed toy he'd used to sleep with when he was child. Or had, until his father had ripped it up and put it in the fire. That had been during his first episode of accidental magic, if he remembered correctly. Harry hadn't touched any of the toys in his room yet, so perhaps buying one especially for him might do the trick.

"Pull yourself together, Snape," Severus muttered to himself as he exited his bedroom. The house was as protected as it was ever going to be, without putting the Fidelius Charm on it. Not only were there goblin wards on it, but the blood wards were also present, as well as a few he'd placed around the area. One was to repel Muggles; he did not want them coming nearby. He couldn't keep that up though; Harry would need friends at some point. Even he'd had Lily; she'd helped him more than he'd ever realized. Making friends hadn't been easy for him, growing up alone as he had, and he didn't want Harry to feel that way.

Opening the door to Harry's room, he walked in. The globe was off, which was what happened whenever light touched it. It was only lit when it was dark, and the light it emitted wasn't too bright ― he didn't want Harry to remain awake. It was just bright enough for him to see around the area, so he could relax and drift back to sleep.

"Harry? Wake up, time for breakfast," Severus said, kneeling down on the floor to make himself as non-threatening as possible. The room was nicely done, and it all blended together very well; the elves had done a wonderful job.

"Come on, let's go," Severus said, frowning when he noticed that Harry was stiff with terror; the look in the boy's eyes made him want to look behind himself to see if there was someone there. Yet he knew there wasn't anyone in the house, other than those that were meant to be there. He had thought he was starting to get somewhere, gaining Harry's trust, but it seemed as though he was mistaken.

Removing the covers, he went to pick the child up when the smell hit him. Now he understood Harry's reaction: the boy had had a little accident. So far Harry had been very good, having no accidents, so it wasn't a surprise―it had to happen at some point. At least with magic the bed could be cleaned and ready for use tonight. He couldn't let Harry think it was bad, but he didn't want him thinking it was okay either. Who would have thought having a child was so damn complicated? He'd had an idea, but not the entire truth. Then again he'd never had to deal with children under the age of eleven.

"Come on, let's get you out of those wet, smelly pyjamas. It's okay, Harry; it was just a little accident," Severus soothed, helping the three-year-old out of the bed. Standing him on his feet, he'd learned a few days ago Harry didn't even know how to walk! If he had been walking while he was with his parents…he evidently didn't remember it. Yesterday he'd taken Harry out to walk around in the garden; unfortunately, he'd just crawled. He didn't know if the child was just scared, or bloody stubborn. He'd get there though; Severus was nothing if not determined.

Removing the soiled nightwear, he Accio'ed his clothes as he took Harry's hands, and guided him out of the room. Helping him get used to walking, the slowness of their progress was driving him insane. He had the urge to pick him up and carry him, but he knew that that wouldn't be a good thing in the long run, so he bore with it. For such a small child, he did have a tight grip; his hands were going white with the grip Harry had on his pointer fingers.

Starting up the bathwater, he added some bubble bath before turning the taps off. Making sure the temperature was okay for the three-year-old, he placed Harry into the tub. The water barely covered his small legs; the stillness in the child truly saddened him. Perhaps he should buy some bath toys as well, maybe that would help him― it certainly couldn't make it worse. Grabbing two face cloths, he turned one into a plastic boat and the other into a little figure. Transfiguration hadn't been his strong suit, but he knew enough to do this. Putting them into the water, he began to wash Harry, before sitting down on the toilet and letting him play. He was slowly introducing Harry to magic, getting him used to seeing it performed on a daily basis. The first time had been hilarious; he'd been tempted to laugh at the wide-eyed look of half-fear, half-wonder at what he'd done. He'd refrained, though, and had just continued with what he'd been doing.

Ten minutes later, Severus deemed it long enough, and removed Harry from the bath. Wrapping a towel around him, he carried the boy back to his bedroom. Drying him off, he put his clothes on him, not putting a cloak on him, since they were going out. He belatedly remembered that it was winter, so Harry would need something warm. It was so odd; summer had just passed a few days ago…then he'd been dumped in wintertime. Grabbing a jumper, he added a heating charm to it and put it on the child. It would have to do until they got to the shops.

"Clay?" called Severus as he carried Harry down the stairs.

"Yes, sir?" asked the house elf, blinking at his master.

"Is there a possibility of getting a map of the area from Gringotts?" Severus asked. The elf had his new clothes on; Dobby had done a good job, although he didn't really like the colours. Perhaps he should have only given him one roll of the fabric, and kept the others for another time. The only reason he did it was to remove the costumes they'd had on before, just in case anyone recognized them as the Potters' elves. He couldn't allow that to happen; Dumbledore had people all over the place.

"I'll be doing that, Master Severus," Clay said, bowing before popping out of the house.

Entering the living room, he found that the elves had already placed breakfast on the table. Everything was cut up for Harry already, and in a plastic dish to make it easier for him. He also noticed the boiled runny egg and strips of toast: they'd made Harry egg soldiers. They'd removed the shell and placed the egg itself in a little holder. Placing Harry in his normal spot on the couch, he once again fed him the two potions, before he handed over the egg soldiers, and grabbed his own plate.

Leaning down, he noticed some sort of table drawn on parchment on the tray. Picking it up, he looked it over, eyebrows rising in half exasperation and amusement. It was the food Rota; they wanted him to fill in what he wanted for breakfast, lunch, and dinner all week. Perhaps that would be a good thing; this way they could introduce a lot of different foods to Harry's diet. Picking up the self-inking quill, he began to fill it in, making sure there was a wide variety of vegetables, and fun desserts to be had only if he ate all his dinner.

Finishing off his breakfast, Snape relaxed into the couch as he drank the remains of his coffee, waiting for Harry to finish his. He'd learned the past few days; Harry ate quite quickly, almost to the point of making himself sick. Thankfully the potions would prevent that; one had a stomach soother mixed into it, settling his stomach. Going from eating basically nothing to full meals would cause a lot of pain, and that wasn't something he wanted for Harry. He'd already been through more pain than anyone could fathom: losing his parents and his godfather, then being dumped at the Dursleys' and having everything he knew ripped from him... and abused, to top it off.

"Harry?" called Severus, but the child continued to eat. Severus was used to that now; he was beginning to think Harry didn't know his own name. "Harry," he said more firmly, snapping his fingers to get Harry's attention. "Do you need the toilet? We are going out in a few minutes," Severus said, speaking clearly but firmly. He would need to remember to ask him at least every half hour. True to his promise to himself, he had started using the word toilet; the word "potty" made him feel three feet tall.

Harry shook his head mutely, chewing on the last of his kippers.

"Very well," said Severus, biting the urge to groan; he hated non-verbal answers. If one of his students had done that, he would have snapped at them. At least the Muggle shops had toilets; the magical world didn't, and if you needed the toilet there, you had to go to one of the pubs.

Clay popped back into the living room, silently handing over the map, which had been magically created by the look of things. He remained in the room, reloading the tray with the empty plates and cups. Severus looked the map over, using his wand to "move" it, and noticed there was a shop actually ten to fifteen minutes away depending on how fast you walked. It was ironically called "The Farm Shop," but it sold everything he'd need, at least the everyday items, from food to toiletries. That was a relief; it was not too far from a side road, so obviously Muggles visited it regularly.

"Clay, did Lily have a buggy?" Severus asked; his breathing hitching just saying that name. He didn't often say her name; in fact he could count on one hand how many he had since that fateful day. He was beginning to heal; the staggering wound she'd left in his heart was being soothed. Merlin, why hadn't he gone to see Lily's child? If he had, he would have seen the abuse in the original timeline. He noticed Clay twitching when her name was mentioned; he didn't need to ask Clay why. No doubt she'd loathed the thought of house elves doing everything for her. She had been a fiercely independent woman, even at the age of eleven.

"I am sorry, sir," Clay said quietly. "It was destroyed that night; we tried our best to fix it, but it was beyond our magic."

"Of course," said Severus. "Thank you," he added politely; if the elves liked them, they were most likely to stay loyal. He'd been there that night and had seen the destruction himself. Harry's room had received most of the damage; the roof and windows had been blown to smithereens. In fact, it still was that way; nothing had been touched. To his disgust, it had been turned into a sort of shrine to the Dark Lord's defeat. Perhaps when time reinserted itself, he would begin fixing it up; it would make a nice cosy home for Harry when he was older... if he didn't want to end up living in a large manor. Why anyone did, he didn't know. He certainly didn't; even though he had Prince Manor, he barely ventured there. He continued, or rather would continue, to use Spinner's End.

Well, it looked like he would be carrying Harry, not that it was a chore, since he was so thin. He was just worried about what people would think. Harry was badly scarred by his ordeal at the Dursleys'. It was obvious; he wasn't like normal three-year-old children, at least nothing like the children he'd seen while out during the summers, whether at Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade, or, of course Spinner's End. Not that he'd paid much attention; until now, Severus had hated children, the spoiled little things... but that couldn't be said anymore.

Severus stood up, grabbing his Gringotts pouch, and put his hand into it, removing a wad of Muggle cash. Magic truly was a wonderful thing; the pouch would only work for him, and it had his magical signature imbued into it, which meant it was very safe; there was no chance of being robbed blind, not that Severus would allow such a thing to happen. He didn't trust people; they were two-faced, and they would lie, cheat, and use you for their own ends. In the end they left you, and to him it wasn't worth the agony. He had only let one person into his life, and she'd let him down, inevitably. Unable to cope with the feelings, it had taken him down a dark road. Then it had been he who had let Lily down in a way that made all other let-downs pale by comparison. Placing the Muggle money into his black jeans' front pocket, he grabbed the house keys, despite the fact there was no need for them. As an afterthought he picked up the map and placed a spell on it, causing two red dots to appear. The map now showed his and Harry's locations, almost like a tracking spell, just in case they got lost.

"We are going to go out now; do you need the toilet?" Severus asked, crouching down next to Harry.

Harry shook his head: no, he didn't need the toilet.

"All right," said Severus, sighing in resignation. It was obvious that Harry wasn't ready to talk yet. On the plus side, at least he understood what he was saying... he hoped.

At least nobody would recognize Harry, should any wizard be in the Muggle world. He had healed Harry's scar; his forehead was now smooth and unmarred. He had magically cut Harry's hair so he no longer had a fringe. He didn't know what Dumbledore had been thinking by allowing that scar to remain, other than to make a legend of it. Harry was a child, not a bloody symbol for the masses, and he wouldn't tolerate it. To Severus, it was just as bad as using Godric's Hollow as a shrine. An entire family had been torn apart; what right did they have to celebrate it? Gawk at it? Write bloody messages on the wall, or visit and admire it?

Lifting the child up, he held him close, wrapped his magic around both of them, and Apparated to a small niche in Charing Cross. It was somewhere he had Apparated to recently, but eight years ago in the future. He was grateful to see that the shop he wanted was still there. The Asda sign was lit like a beacon, despite the fact that it was daylight. He glanced down at Harry, suppressing a smirk; Harry was staring around wildly. It was nice to see him that way, since he usually just stared at one thing, never really showing much emotion.

Once Severus got to the shop, he stopped and stared at the trolley drolly. He couldn't believe he was about to do this; he was turning into a complete Muggle. Sighing in exasperation, he conceded the need for it. With difficulty he managed to get Harry into the seat; the trolley was freezing― that couldn't be good for children, surely? Closing his eyes, he thanked Merlin he looked different; otherwise his reputation would be shot to hell if anyone saw him now. Wheeling a trolley with a child on it! Into a Muggle store! Oh, his reputation would be shattered to smithereens, not just shot to hell.

Wheeling it in the direction of the Muggle clothes, he began putting them in the trolley. He added in more underwear, shirts, t-shirts, trousers, and plenty of socks― at least they looked half-decent. He also put in two jackets, in different sizes, so that when Harry hit a growth spurt, he'd have one at the ready. He was rather proud of himself; there was hardly any black in the pile! Well... nothing completely black anyway, apart from a few pairs of trousers.

"Oh, my! He's such a little cutie! What age is he?" a youngish-looking woman asked, positively cooing over Harry.

Severus stared at her uncomprehendingly; the urge to snap at her was very, very strong. He wasn't used to people getting into his personal space at all. Biting his tongue, he refrained from baring his teeth in an animalistic manner, which was his natural inclination in this situation. Forcing himself to relax, he finally comprehended her words.

"Three," said Severus, a strained smile on his face. Thankfully the woman wasn't looking at him, otherwise she would have run for the hills. Severus' version of a smile was truly disturbing, the smile a super villain like the Joker had on his face as he thought about killing the likes of Batman.

"You're a cutie, so you are," she continued to coo over the child, clearly delighted.

Harry just stared at her oddly, not really understanding why she was speaking to him like that. Nobody talked to him like that, not the people who'd kept him in that dark place, or his knight in shining armour. His eyes went from the lady who smelt so funny she was almost making his eyes water, to his saviour and saw he had his nose screwed up as if he wanted to cry. He'd never seen an adult that wanted to cry before. He wanted to giggle at the look, it was so funny, but he refrained. Then she spoke again in that voice, distracting him.

She said one last thing: "Be a good boy for your daddy!"

Daddy? Was that what he was? His green eyes met black ones; was this his daddy? His mind drifted to the other boy, Dudders and... pumpkin?... he'd been called; he'd said "dada" to the horrible man who hurt _him_…but he'd never hurt Dudders. Did that mean this man wouldn't hurt him? Since he was his daddy? Did that mean he really wanted him to talk?

Severus felt his chest constrict; it seemed Harry had understood the woman's words all too well. He was very intelligent for a three-year-old boy; his green eyes were wide, thoughtful and hopeful, so different from the look he'd first seen when he'd rescued him. He gaped at the woman's back, barely able to believe what she'd said. Did he look like Harry's father? Snape looked at him, really looking at him; black hair... sure, they both had dark hair, and very unique eyes, but father and son? Severus shook his head. Muggles... sometimes they could be so insipid. His mind, though, continued to dwell on the look Harry had given him.

Moving off, he began to browse through the electronics, buying himself a few home appliances he'd need: a television, a video player, and then a very much-needed alarm clock, as well as a few children's videos (making sure they were at least a little bit educational) to keep Harry occupied for a few hours. He also bought some new bedding sets; Harry's was plain blue at the moment. He couldn't think of anything else they'd need, and then he realized: books. Children's books. The best of both worlds, he'd inwardly promised the child. After wandering around the middle of the shop, looking up at the signs in the middle of each row to see what was on that particular aisle, he found what he was looking for. He didn't know many of the books, since he hadn't read any since he'd been a young boy... well, apart from the tales of Beadle the Bard. So he just threw in two dozen of them. He wasn't trying to turn Harry into a Ravenclaw; he just wanted him to have the best opportunities in life.

"Harry, would you like to pick a few toys?" asked Severus, holding his breath, willing Harry to speak just once.

Removing Harry from the trolley, he let him face the toys, keeping an eye on his reactions and eyes. Harry gave nothing away; he stared at them as if he didn't understand what they were for! Ah well, it had been worth a try. Placing Harry on his hip, he began placing yet more items into the overflowing trolley: action figures, cars, boats, planes, trains, fire engines, airbase play sets, car sets. Tool benches, tool belt, and the actual tools. Toy farm sets, with every single animal... that was a good educational thing to have. Sticker books, drawing books, and blank paper with crayons. He was under no circumstances going to get a child felt-tip pens! That was madness; he didn't want his home covered in it. A soft ball, and a few smaller ones so he could play outside with something. A wooden train set with a track, a huge pack of building blocks, and three packs of dinosaurs. Mr. Potato Head... Then he picked three additional teddies, although truthfully Harry didn't need more. There was an entire wall of netting filled with them. Severus had a feeling the child had received them from everyone when he was born, the entire Order and everyone Lily and James were acquainted with.

Looking at the pile, he realized he couldn't buy anything else; he was going to have a difficult time as it was, disappearing without anyone noticing anything out of the ordinary. Holding Harry tightly to his hip, he moved the trolley with one hand, making his way to the checkouts, actually grateful to be leaving. He still had to buy food, which he would do at the smaller shop nearer to home.

Five workers immediately surrounded him, helping get everything paid for and packed up, then placed back into the trolley. Handing over the money, he was just about to leave when someone spoke.

"Do you need a hand getting it to your car, sir?"

"No, thank you," Severus replied tersely; why did everyone insist on nosing into his life all of a sudden? And why the bloody hell were people cooing at Harry as though he was a bloody dog? They didn't seem to see that the child was staring at them as if they'd lost their minds! He was just "cute," so they just had to paw at him as if he was a commodity. Harry did not like it at all, that much was obvious, and they just didn't care!

They nodded and scampered away as if they sensed his looming anger and darkened mood. Sighing gratefully as they disappeared, he made his way out of the shop. Once they were in a corner away from everyone, he cast a Muggle-repelling charm, and quickly gathered and shrank all his items except for one jacket and a pair of shoes for Harry, and safely ensconced them in his pocket. There, one less thing to worry about for now.

Taking the map out, he looked down at it, tapping it until he saw a layout of the area. His eyes narrowed in on the little forested area, just a bunch of trees at the side of the building. Nobody would be there; at least they shouldn't be, anyway. Wrapping his magic around them both, he Apparated again, landing right next to the Farm Shop. Smirking in satisfaction, nodding absently, he placed Harry's new jacket and shoes on him while the boy just stared down at the floor, before placing Harry on his feet. He wouldn't keep him there for long; he wasn't used to it. It would just result in Harry's legs and feet getting swollen and sore.

Keeping a tight grip on him, making sure he didn't fall over, he walked them towards the shop. He couldn't help praying it was empty; he did not want to deal with any more nosy Muggles. Cursing inwardly, suddenly he remembered and swiftly removed the Muggle-repelling charm. It would not be helpful when he wanted to buy stuff from them, after all.

Once they were inside the shop, he put Harry in another trolley and quickly began gathering everything they'd need. Two toothbrushes, a child's one and green adult one for him, some adult toothpaste, and one he remembered had to be for a child. Shower gel, since he had nothing of the kind made up yet, there was only stuff for Harry; shampoo, conditioner and soap. He also got some crisps, biscuits, and a few additional Muggle sweets. He'd never admit it, but Muggle fudge was better than Honeydukes'.

Placing it up on the counter and letting it be rung up, he handed over the money, grateful that he could go home. He wasn't used to shopping like this. Usually when he went shopping, it was for some cauldrons and potion ingredients! Being a guardian was bloody exhausting.

"New around here?" asked the Muggle as he handed over the change.

"Yes," Severus said, revealing no further information.

"Welcome," the clerk said before ducking under his counter, busy unpacking items.

* * *

><p>"Dobby?" called Severus.<p>

"Yes, sir?" asked the elf, making an appearance, eager to serve.

"House elves have the ability to get anywhere they want, is that not correct?" asked Severus, staring enquiringly at the little elf. His dinner was temporarily abandoned as he fished for answers. Harry, though, continued eating, actually using a spoon today.

"Of course," said Dobby, a little frown on his face, not understanding why he'd been called.

"You would be able to get into Azkaban?" Severus asked cautiously.

Dobby shuddered, but nonetheless nodded silently.

"Would you be able to go to a certain person?" Severus asked.

"Yes, sir," Dobby replied.

"Would you go if I asked? And yes, I mean asked, this is no easy task and I wouldn't demand it of you," Severus said seriously. Dementors affected even house elves; all of them had emotions, just like humans. He would never demand anyone to do what he had in mind.

"Go, sir?" asked Dobby looking terrified. Why would his Master want him to go and stay in Azkaban? It made absolutely no sense to him.

"To drop off some food, then come back," Severus added, realizing the elf had gotten the wrong end of the stick. Which, by the way, he couldn't blame him for; after all, he had talked about going, but had said nothing about coming back.

"Why would Master Severus want to feed the bad wizards?" Dobby asked, bravely asking the question on his mind, and just grateful that he wasn't being asked to actually _remove_ someone from Azkaban.

"He is innocent," said Severus quietly. "Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do for eight years…other than to make his experience in Azkaban a little more tolerable. You must not tell him anything about Harry, myself, or whom you serve. If he asks you anything, I want you to return here immediately; if any question is answerable, I shall tell you what to say so you may answer it the next time you go to him." He had a few potions ready to go as well, but he would need to research for something to help with the effects of the Dementors.

"Yes, sir," said Dobby, feeling sad for whoever it was.

"There cannot be any evidence that you have been there, or anything left behind," Severus cautioned.

"I understand, sir," Dobby acknowledged.

"Very well. I assume there is plenty of food still left?" Severus asked.

"Yes, sir," Dobby replied, nodding eagerly.

"Very well; give him a full plate of food, these three potions, a flagon of juice, and something chocolaty. Whether it's a sweet or a chocolate dessert isn't important," Severus directed.

"Dobby will do it, Master Severus, sir," said Dobby, jumping from foot to foot.

"Deliver it to Sirius Black. Nobody can know you are doing this, understood?" said Severus.

Dobby's eyes widened; Sirius Black? The mass murderer? Killer of thirteen Muggles and betrayer of Lily and James Potter? And godfather of Harry Potter? The boy here? He must be innocent then, otherwise Master Severus wouldn't be doing this. Dobby had only been there for a few days, but he could see how much Master Severus loved Master Harry. Master Severus would never do anything to harm him, so he must really believe Sirius Black was innocent.

* * *

><p>Edited by Jake and Jordre thank you :)<p> 


	14. Chapter 14

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 14 **

**A Potion **

* * *

><p>Severus sat writing away in his book; the days had gone by so quickly it almost confounded him. Teaching children all day, doing his rounds, brewing a few potions at the end of the day—now that had been exhausting, and the time had flown while he was at Hogwarts. Yet here all he did was take care of Harry, and the time seemed to have disappeared quicker than lightning. It was rather baffling, to say the least; he was trying to enjoy not having every moment of his time mapped out. He tried to allow himself to relax and enjoy each moment as it came.<p>

His thoughts returned to their second day, here at Harry's new home. He had scanned Harry's forehead and found nothing out of order with it, and a few drops of phoenix tears later, the scar was completely healed. It had cost a few hundred galleons to get the vial of phoenix tears, but he had felt it well worth the cost, as it had totally removed the scar. He couldn't understand why Dumbledore had taken twenty-four hours to get Harry to Privet Drive. Why Hagrid had taken Harry to Dumbledore, then left with him again, instead of Dumbledore Apparating Harry straight to Privet Drive, he didn't know. At least it wasn't due to evil intentions; perhaps Albus had scanned the child to try to figure out how and why he'd survived― he didn't know. It was irritating him, this not knowing. He could cast all the diagnostic spells he knew, and he realized they would come up the same. He just didn't trust Dumbledore at all. He'd also cut Harry's hair at the same time; that was when he'd remembered what Black said at the funeral, how he was a Metamorphmagus, which would help in the long run if he could figure out how to teach Harry to use that gift. The talent was so rare that there weren't many references to it. He had ordered three books in which the talents of Metamorphmagi were mentioned, so with a bit of luck Harry might be able to fully utilise his skills should he wish to.

"Package for Master Snape," said Patter, handing over the square package. Owls couldn't get near the property, so each time anything came; a house elf would retrieve it, inspect it to ensure it was safe for the Masters, and then hand it over. The packages all had "Mr. Septimus Regis" on them.

"Thank you, Patter," Severus said, accepting the wrapped books and immediately opening them, eager to find more information about Metamorphmagi. It was too bad he couldn't go and speak to Andromeda Tonks― now she would have been the one to know most of the information he needed, no doubt. She had been raising a child born with the abilities; it was a well-known Black trait that some lucky witch or wizard inherited once every few generations. It was ironic that there were two in a single generation, both with new Muggle-born blood mixed in; it was obvious that bringing in new blood yielded more powerful offspring with excellent gifts.

"Does Master require anything else, sir?" Patter asked, as always happy to serve, especially this master, since he called him by name! No wizard had ever cared enough before. At least that was what Heather and Clay were saying when they spoke of this.

"Does Potter manor have any wine or whiskey unopened?" Severus asked. He hadn't bought any, but that was because he didn't plan on drinking a lot.

"Potter manor has an entire basement full of alcohol, sir," said Patter, although they'd had to throw the Butterbeer out, since it had gone off. It wasn't like bottled wine or whiskey; it didn't last and age.

"Bring a bottle of fire whiskey," said Severus. He felt awful, constantly asking the elves to do things, but it wasn't as if he could just Apparate over there and get it himself.

"Yes, sir," Patter said, disappearing to do his Master's wishes.

Taking a deep breath, Severus opened the book and began to immerse himself in learning about the talent that was Metamorphmagus. As he read, he began to realize that not everyone could be a full-blown Metamorphmagus; no, some only had the ability to change certain things about themselves, not their entire bodies. Since Black had said he only changed his hair, Harry might not be a fully blown shifter. Curious, he wondered which category Harry fell into; at least in this time he would get to show his full potential. It wasn't easy to forget what happened... or would have happened to Harry. He constantly dwelled on it, and he wondered if that would ever change. His thoughts, more often than not, were on Arabella Figg. Yes, she hadn't done her job properly, but when she had noticed something, she had tried to help. It had resulted in her death, and Severus felt saddened that he hadn't been able to think of a way to help her. Of course the golem idea popped in now and again, but was it possible? She wasn't a witch; she had no active magic…could the golem be activated with what little dormant magic she had? If he tried, there would be only an infinitesimal window of opportunity to accomplish it.

"Here you are, sir," Patter announced, placing not only a bottle of finest Ogden's Firewhiskey, but crystal glassware, tumblers and glasses, and a silver tray to set it all on. It was put on the bottom of the bookcase, which was tall enough to keep small hands away from the glass. Say what you would about house elves, they had good taste.

"Thank you, Patter," said Severus.

"Happy New Year, sir," said Patter before disappearing.

Severus smirked wryly; yes, the time was moving so quickly it was unreal. In a few short months, Harry would be three years old…and not only that, but Figg would forfeit her life. In exactly one hour, it would officially be 1983 all over again. His other self was probably getting himself drunk in his quarters already by this point. It had taken him a good few years, five to be exact, to get over what had happened to Lily. It was too bad he couldn't let himself in on what was happening; between both of them, surely it would be a piece of cake raising Harry and making sure nobody found out. He doubted his other self would be accepting of that; no, he had to find out what happened the hard way, experience the pain, and go back in time as he had.

He'd been reading Muggle psychology books, and ones on parenting. Apparently it wasn't an unusual thing for children to stop speaking after a traumatic experience. They would speak on their own when they were ready and feeling safe again. Severus was hoping Harry would begin to feel safe soon.

He shook off his thoughts, and concentrated on the book in front of him. While reading further, he found out there was a way to know for sure which talent Harry had, whether he was a full or partial Metamorphmagus. The spell was simple enough; it would also reveal all other possible talents he had. Interesting; Severus marked the page with every intention of using it when he had a chance.

Standing up, he moved over to the bookshelf and poured himself a whiskey as the muted TV exploded with fireworks on the screen. Saluting the TV, he downed the drink; was it wrong to feel even more alone and secluded than ever before? As much as he used to grumble and sneer at and insult everyone, he was used to having at least a halfway decent conversation, especially with Minerva. He was terrified he would screw up; despite his confidence that he could do the right thing, it wasn't always that easy. He was naturally a negatively-inclined man; he thought the worst before even remotely hoping for the best. What he wouldn't do for someone to talk to right now, preferably Minerva.

Then he scowled at his own thoughts; he didn't need anyone. He was his own man, and had been his entire life. Squaring his shoulders, he placed the glass back on the tray before heading off up the stairs, closing the curtains as he went. He noticed idly that it was actually snowing again. It wouldn't lie though; it was nowhere near cold enough for that. The snow had stuck in Scotland, if he remembered correctly; Hogwarts in winter was a sight to behold.

Opening the door to Harry's room, he walked in, able to see with the magical globe lit dimly. Kneeling down, he stared at the child, wondering if a new country and start would be best for all concerned. At least he wouldn't have to be secluded in a cottage if they were out of the country. Harry would be able to interact with children his own age, which he should be doing, attending a nursery for a few hours each day. That was what they did here, two years of attending nursery, then primary school. He wasn't sure how it would be in another country. He would need to do some research to find out which the best country would be to move to when the time came. When Harry did his first piece of accidental magic, they would be leaving right away.

"Happy New Year, Harry," Severus said quietly, stroking his face feather-lightly, before silently creeping from the room. Harry would be awake at seven o'clock, which only gave him a few hours sleep before he'd be roused by the child.

"Daddy," whispered Harry quietly.

Severus froze, his hand outstretched; a feather would have been able to knock him over. Had Harry spoken, or had he just imagined it? It hadn't been readily discernible, but he was sure he'd heard Harry's voice, which meant he was all right; he was able to speak, even if it was just when he was asleep. He continued to listen, but nothing further came from the sleeping child. Severus wished Harry had spoken louder; he wanted to know what the boy sounded like, although there would be time for that. He had, at long last, found out the answer to at least one of his questions.

Closing the door, he walked back up the hall in three short steps and into his own room. Sliding under the bedcovers, he relaxed back and began to meditate, shielding his mind as he always did, mentally calculating his body's age to the day he took the Dark Mark. He hoped it remained gone, but Severus wasn't under any delusions of that happening. He would just have to enjoy his freedom while it lasted. With that Severus drifted to sleep, his mind untroubled by his past.

* * *

><p>"Breakfast for Master Severus and Harry," said Heather, bringing through two large plates. The house elf placed one on the floor next to Harry, who was playing colour-in with his new crayons and colouring book. It was a magical one; once it had been coloured, it began moving a little, much to Harry's delight.<p>

"Thank you," Severus said, accepting his own plate; the couch was surrounded by books. He had asked Clay to find a picture of James and Lily with Harry as a baby and frame it. Harry deserved a reminder of his parents; they had sacrificed their lives for him. He never wanted Harry to forget his own mother; he could tell him all about her… while he wouldn't be able to regale Harry with tales about his father, he would have talks with Black and Lupin when the time came. "Wait, Heather, can you retrieve a pamphlet for every magical world? You'll probably find them in Gringotts or the Ministry."

"Yes sir," she said disappearing.

Grabbing his potions bag, he used the dropper to suck up two potions into it. Once it was full, he sat down next to Harry, smiling softly when he opened his mouth without needing to be told. Squirting the Potions into his mouth, he handed over the milk and allowed the child to wash the taste away. "Good boy," said Severus.

Harry's face lit up, his green eyes overly bright.

"Eat your breakfast, Harry," Severus said, watching over the little boy. He'd been trying to get the child to talk, but with no luck. He half wanted to go back to the Dursleys and find out why Harry never spoke a word.

Harry nodded his head as he pulled his plate over and began eating quickly. His daddy had told him he was good again; he was beginning to believe his saviour did want him to talk. He had so many things he actually wanted to say: why he hadn't lived with his daddy, why he'd only come when he had. Why his mummy wouldn't wake up, and where she was and why she wasn't with him. Why people spoke funny to him, and when he would be getting the food he had yesterday again, it was the best.

Severus sat back down, and finished his breakfast before digging back into his research. He had created a potion already; it was similar to yet different from the Calming Draught. It was more geared towards helping people long-term, shielding their emotions as well as calming them into a semblance of order. It theoretically should help people who had experienced trauma, and stop Empaths ―and Dementors, even though he wouldn't be stating as such― from reading their emotions. Now all he had to do was send it to St. Mungo's. They would run tests on willing participants who needed help. Once they had the results and sent them back to him, he would publish it in The Practical Potioneer Journal. He wasn't one hundred percent sure they'd do it, since he was practically unknown. With a bit of luck... with the Goblins being on his side... the hospital hopefully would trust him enough so he could start to build up his reputation. It turned his stomach a little that he was publishing under a different name, but he vowed the world would one day be aware that Septimus Regis was in fact Severus Snape.

He was slightly conflicted on whether to give Black the potion or not. He supposed the Calming Draughts, nutrition potions, vitamin supplements, and of course the occasional Dreamless Sleep potion would have to do. So far he'd only given Black two; the last thing he needed or wanted was to get Black addicted to the stuff. If things had happened before he came back, like seeing Harry's Golem...did that mean Black had already got the food and stuff? If so, why hadn't he mentioned it? Then again, he'd just been released and told his godson was dead.

The potion would also help those who wished to learn Occlumency, since controlling your emotions helped control your mind. At least that was another assumption, but he was usually right, especially when it came to his craft.

"The magazines, Master Severus," Heather said handing him a large pile of pamphlets.

"Good," Severus said, accepting them. Flipping through them, he threw the ones he wasn't interested in at his feet. He wasn't going to a country where English wasn't the main spoken language, not even if the magical school was a good one. Seven in total were discarded; the rest were promising, but he would inspect them thoroughly before making any decision. It would be too hard for Harry to pick up a new language, especially when he wasn't talking—although he might be speaking again by the time any accidental magic was cast. If he was anything like his mother, though, he wouldn't hold his breath. Lily had been controlling her accidental magic since before she'd been eight years old. If Primrose (Harry's grandmother) was to be believed, Lily had been doing accidental magic since she could walk.

Severus observed Harry briefly over the top of the pamphlet; the boy was curious about the booklets at his feet. He wondered if Harry would have the guts to come over and inspect them. The urge to just give them to the child was strong, but he resisted, keeping himself busy while unobtrusively watching him. His attention kept shifting between reading information about a school and gazing at Harry.

That was until, five magazines in, he read something that caught his attention. Curiously, this school mixed Muggle with Magical educations from ages four to eighteen. The first year was spent getting used to the school, and playing, having fun and learning small spells to open the magical core up so it would be easier to cast magic for the "first year," as it were. Severus had never heard of this school, and if he was honest, he really liked the sound of it. Why anyone would attend Hogwarts when this was around, he did not know. Saint Lucia, in the Caribbean... English was indeed the most spoken language; it was far away, perhaps secluded from the UK magical world. It was sounding much more seductive as he continued to read it. He really wanted to see that school. If he did put Harry there, then he had a year to investigate it more thoroughly and get some reviews on what the school was like on the whole.

When he looked up, his lips twitched; Harry had squirreled himself away with two of the pamphlets and was drawing on them. As long as he didn't do that to any rare books or the walls, Harry was free to draw on whatever he liked.

Severus stood up to get a piece of paper from his journal, and began to write in it. He wanted to find out more about the school, and what better way than to correspond with the current Headmaster?

"Clay?" Severus called once he was finished.

"Yes, sir?" asked the elf standing before him, his green eyes large as always.

"Can you give this to Headmaster Adison at Grande Riviere Magical School in Saint Lucia?" Severus asked, handing over the missive.

"Do you want me to stay for a reply, sir?" Clay asked, wide-eyed. Saint Lucia? It was at the other side of the world.

"No," replied Severus firmly. The elves were not owls, and he wasn't going to start treating them as such.

"Yes, sir," Clay acknowledged, disappearing with the letter in his hand.

"Harry?" Severus called, noticing that the more he used Harry's name, the quicker the boy responded. It was becoming glaringly obvious that Harry hadn't known his own name, which did infuriate him.

"Time for a nap," Severus announced; he preferred it if Harry slept for an hour during the morning. Harry stayed up longer if he napped at lunch or after dinner, and he wanted him in a routine. He patted the couch after removing all the paperwork and stuffing it all at the other side. He grabbed the blue cover, which the elves had managed to salvage from Godric's Hollow; it had "Harry" written across it in blue letters. Harry climbed up, and Severus placed the cover over him, cuddling him in.

Picking up the remotes, he put the TV and the video player on, allowing Harry to watch E.T., one of the videos he had bought for him. It was rated "PG," so it was safe for him to watch, and it would help him accept the magical world easier, too. Although hopefully he wouldn't think the house elves were the same kind of creature, in need of saving.

Harry loved these times, sitting with his daddy, while his dad read a book and he watched a cartoon. His daddy would rub his back too! And it didn't hurt him. He could see his saviour was disappointed when he didn't talk, which made him feel bad and confused. He wanted to talk, but he was scared.

For the next hour, wide green eyes watched the elf try to hide, heal, and make flowers grow! He tried to watch it all, but the soothing rub on his back and the drone of the TV lulled him to sleep.

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><p>Edited by Jake and Jordre thank you :)<p> 


	15. Chapter 15

**Fixing Past Mistakes **

**Chapter 15**

**Sirius Black And A Reply **

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><p><strong>Two Weeks Ago - Azkaban Prison - Sirius Black <strong>

Sirius curled up in the corner of his cell, waking up groggily after having consumed a Dreamless Sleep potion just last night. Licking his dry lips, he looked around, wondering if it had been some odd dream. He had sat there completely stunned when the house elf showed up, unable to think or react at all. Then before he could kick his brain into gear, the elf had disappeared before he could question it. Who could be helping him? Remus? But he couldn't afford stuff like this, and he would have visited before this if he had realized he was innocent. Even his family was gone, not that he'd have looked to them to care enough to visit. If it had been Regulus locked up in here, they probably would have, but he'd always been the black sheep of the family, along with Andromeda, who'd actually left the fold and married a Muggle-born wizard. It had to have been real, since for the first time since being thrown in here his stomach wasn't grumbling ― he wasn't starving. He was tempted to believe it was real, since the vial was no longer there, nor was anything else he'd used last night.

Still his mind continued to dwell on it; who would help him? And the most important question was: why? If they knew he was innocent, why were they not helping him? Then again, what did he know, locked in here? He was confused, and the Dementors weren't helping anything either; shivering at the cold, he backed into the wall furthest from the black-cloaked figures, trying to stop their effects in a futile effort.

Jumping in shock when the elf appeared again with food, this time he wasn't going to stare dumbly.

"Who are you? Who's your master?" rasped Sirius quickly, his blue eyes filled with desperation.

"I am Dobby," said the house elf, not replying to the other question, since his master had told him never to reveal anything without consulting him first.

"Who's your master? Why is he helping me?" demanded Sirius, his voice less raspy; he wasn't used to using his voice unless he was screaming or begging in the throes of a Dementor-fuelled nightmare from which there was no awakening. He didn't dare move, knowing house elves were fast, and the possibility of answers was null if he was gone.

Not that it mattered, since Dobby disappeared again, leaving only the food for company.

It definitely wasn't a Black house elf; Kreacher was the only elf the Blacks had in their employment. The others were all dead, and their heads were on pikes in the house. They thought it was an honour; he just thought it was insane, complete and utter madness. It wasn't a Potter elf either, because he knew them too, having lived with the Potters for years before getting his own flat when he was of age. Sighing sadly, he realized the elf probably couldn't tell him anything, which meant that whoever was helping didn't want him to know…or maybe it was just in case they were found out? They were breaking the law, after all, by helping him, although this was probably a first, a house elf going into Azkaban with food for inmates. Groaning, he desperately wanted answers, but the smell of the food distracted him from his futile quest.

His stomach grumbled now, hungry at the smell of the food. Porridge, buttered toast, jams and scones; Sirius had to wipe the drool from his mouth as he dug into the pile. His blue eyes kept a watch on the door, listening intently just in case anyone came by and surprised him. He didn't want to lose the food, even if he didn't get answers…so he couldn't allow the guards to catch him. He wasn't sure about the time, but they hadn't delivered breakfast yet, so they could be around any time. Grabbing the spoon he practically inhaled the porridge, which was all that was left. Swallowing the last gulp, he looked at his hands; they were so dirty and disgusting.

He would do anything for a shower, a warm bath; sighing softly, he replaced the spoon and jumped when it disappeared from the room. Well, that answered at least one of his questions. They had put spells on it to take it away when he was finished; at least that meant he really wouldn't be found out, although the tray was small enough to fit through the bars in the window of his cell, even if it was a whole head above him. With the water it would have been washed away; half the time it flooded his cell. It made the room really wet, but it made it so he could at least wash sometimes.

Just then the flap at the bottom of his cell door opened and a large spoonful of burnt porridge was shoved through and into the bowl at the base of the door; water was poured into the cup. Not a sound was made. Sirius stared at it, wondering what to do. Could he throw it out the window? He didn't want them getting suspicious, and if he didn't eat they would get a healer in. And then they would know he was getting food from somewhere, and potions. Crawling over he picked up the bowl and stood beside the window, up on his tiptoes, and flung the food, banging the bowl against the outside wall until he was sure it was gone. Bringing the bowl back in, he placed it back on its spot, and drank the water―at least that was always cold and clean, taking away his thirst, usually after eating the horrible food... but not today.

In exactly an hour the Dementors would be back. They left only to give them enough time to eat and for the guards to collect the food and feed the prisoners. Deciding to make the best of it, he rolled himself onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. Closing his eyes, he fixed a picture of Harry firmly in his mind. How was he? What was he like? Was he happy? What age was he? He had tried to keep track of the days, but with the Dementors and their effects…he had lost the will to count the days quickly. After all, what was the point to counting the days? He was here until he died, unless they found Pettigrew and declared him innocent. He had hoped and prayed that would happen in the beginning, each time he heard someone, but he was constantly sorely disappointed. In his heart he held no such hope, at least until the elf had shown up with food for him and potions…For the first time in a long time he prayed that someone out there wanted to help him…that they would find Pettigrew and get him the hell out of this hellhole.

_Harry, I'm so sorry,_ thought Sirius, his blue eyes filling with tears. He'd been such an idiot. If he'd not gone after Pettigrew, he might have been able to go to the Ministry and prove his innocence…or if he'd just run with Harry to a different country, they would have been safe. Hopefully Harry would be happy though; there hadn't been many Lily and James would trust with Harry. The Longbottoms maybe, Professor McGonagall, then the Headmaster; he doubted Dumbledore would raise Harry, though. Biting his lip, he considered further. He might have gone to family; Andromeda could be raising him…he wished he knew. Maybe the house elf would at least reveal that information. Nodding his head, he determined to keep the question safe from the Dementors, so that when Dobby came again he could ask.

Then he remembered Pettigrew was still out there somewhere― he had to warn Harry and whoever had him. He needed to tell the elf; hopefully Dobby would tell his master, and he would pass the message on. He would be back with dinner with a bit of luck, and then he could tell him; he just had to. Harry was in danger with that Death Eater out there…hopefully they would believe him…they just had to. Harry was a baby; he couldn't defend himself. How much time had passed? Was Harry even a baby anymore? Why hadn't he thought of these things before? Cursing his weak mind, he hated the fact he couldn't think straight in here for long.

He shuddered as the Dementors began closing in on him once more, but to his confusion the effects weren't as harsh as normal. He could sense them, feel them and the memories they were invoking, but they didn't impair him completely. He couldn't think as clearly as a few minutes ago, but it didn't drown him completely either. Turning around, he used his arms to squeeze down on his ears in a bid to be rid of the noise of the memories that were going like a projector in his mind. Regardless, time began to space out and he lost track of any semblance of thought.

He had no idea that in the next few weeks he wouldn't get a chance to talk to the elf, since he would be away before he came around each and every time.

* * *

><p><strong>Back To Normal Time - Severus And Harry - January 7th<strong>

"Letters and newspapers for Master Severus," said Heather, handing over the large bundle― she was the one on duty this morning. The breakfast had already been delivered and the elves were now off to have their own meal in their lovely room. Clay had built them a table and chairs to sit on, just right for their size, using extra wood from the back of the house. Since Master Severus said they could do what they liked, they were taking full advantage of it.

"Thank you, Heather," Severus said, accepting the bundle from the house elf. Now that the food had been delivered, he should go and wake Harry up.

"You are welcome, sir," said Heather, bowing low before she disappeared.

Severus looked through all the mail until he noticed the letter from St. Mungo's; ripping it open, he began to read the official missive. His lips twitched in satisfaction; it was always good to read that your potion was a success. Now all he needed to do was send in the potion formula and the results to the Potioneer Journal and have it officiated. He had, in his spare time, brewed dozens of them, so he didn't have to worry about being overrun. St. Mungo's wanted a copy of the formula to brew the potion themselves, offering him quite a lot of money for it. Either that, or they wanted to bulk-buy from him; the money was a lot less for the bulk-buy, but in the long run, if he continued providing for them, it would amass a greater fortune. It was just a matter of deciding what he preferred to do, brew it himself or hand over the recipe.

Placing the results and the letter aside, he opened the one from Saint Lucia; the headmaster had finally gotten in touch. An entire week it had taken, although he probably had a lot of correspondence to get through... at least Albus Dumbledore did. His pile was always sky-high, but the focus wasn't always on Hogwarts. The poor owl, having to fly all the way over here; hopefully it would get some food and rest before flying back.

Interestingly, he was being invited over there for an orientation meeting, no doubt with dozens of other prospective students' parents. It was set for March, so he would have enough time to decide on whether or not he was going to attend it. The letter acted as a Portkey, which was admittedly handy, but only necessarily if he was still here. March... His heart sank; that was when Harry would have died. It was just spooky, thinking about it. Maybe he would get over it once the date had passed. Putting that missive down, he opened the one from Gringotts. It concerned the reviews he'd asked for about the school.

According to this, students from that school went on to do great things, were at the top of their respective fields. Why did nobody here know about it? Could Dumbledore somehow be preventing students from getting letters? Then again, people didn't like sending their children to Scotland, never mind to the other side of the world. The school did seem to have everything Hogwarts lacked and more, and the students seemed very mature—at least according to the reviews about the school, and they would be genuine, otherwise Gringotts wouldn't have them.

Standing up, Severus realized that twenty minutes had passed; he placed all his letters in the drawer inside the bottom of the bookcase. Making his way up the stairs, he walked into Harry's bedroom. Just as he did so Harry woke up; sleepy green eyes were looking at him. Obviously Harry was starting to get used to their little routine.

"Good morning, Harry," Severus said, "Breakfast is ready; remember to go to the toilet."

"Morning, daddy," said Harry quietly; finally, after nearly four weeks, he was taking a chance on Severus. He'd seen how sad it made his daddy when he didn't talk, and he didn't want to see him sad anymore.

Severus froze. After nearing a month, Harry had finally spoken to him, and calling him "daddy," of all things! His heart felt as if it was about to squeeze through its ribcage; dear Merlin, it was only a word, but he felt as if his heart was about to burst with pride and love. He wasn't used to these sorts of emotions; as much as he wished he didn't, he knew he could quickly come addicted to it. He would have to explain everything to Harry. He couldn't let him grow up thinking Severus was his biological father; it wouldn't be right. As much as he hated James Potter…his love for Lily and Harry was greater.

Harry stared at him, his heart sinking; was he about to be put in a cupboard like the other nasty people had done? He knew he shouldn't have spoken; he'd been wrong to take a chance. He froze when his daddy walked over to him, fearing he was about to be put in the dark.

Severus came out of his shock and walked over to Harry, lifting him up on his knee and sitting on the bed. Closing his eyes, he pondered very briefly on how to best explain everything to the nearly three-year-old.

"I'm very proud of you for speaking, Harry. I know it was difficult, but well done," Severus said, watching the green eyes glimmer with love.

Harry just burrowed into his daddy's chest, overwhelmed; nothing bad had happened! He was happy he'd spoken! He was still a good boy, a smile slipped onto his face as he smelt the strange scents on his daddy.

"Harry? I need to speak to you about something; listen carefully, okay?" Severus said, watching Harry nod solemnly before removing himself from his chest and staring dolefully at him. He was clearly thinking it was something bad that would be said.

Severus picked up the photos on the nightstand, avoiding moving the magical globe of light. "You know this is your mummy, don't you?" asked Severus, wondering if Harry would continue to talk or take it a day at a time.

Harry looked at his mummy before moving back to his daddy and nodded his head; yes, he knew that was his mummy. "Is mummy coming home?" he asked, hopefully.

Severus swallowed thickly, barely able to keep himself from reacting, Harry had been too young to understand what had happened to her. It shouldn't surprise him that he was asking this; after all, the Dursleys sure as hell hadn't stopped to explain before throwing him into a bloody cupboard. "Your mummy is in heaven with the angels, little one. She would want nothing more than to be here with you, but she can't be. She will always look out for you, and so will I," Severus said softly, barely able to talk with the lump lodged firmly in his throat.

"Oh," said Harry, not really understanding what "heaven" meant, but he knew she'd never be here for him.

"This is your biological daddy," said Severus, showing the picture of James he'd gotten from the year book. "He is in heaven too, and can't be here for you, but he and your mummy loved you very much." Surprisingly, he didn't feel hatred stirring in his heart just thinking about the conceited jerk.

"You my daddy?" asked Harry cocking his head to the side; he didn't understand. The lady said to behave for his daddy... wasn't he his daddy too?

"I am your daddy now, but I wasn't your first daddy," Severus carefully explained. "I will take care of you from now on, I promise," Severus vowed; he would never let anyone hurt him, and if anyone tried they'd have to deal with him. Considering how vile and evil he could be when pushed…let's just say they'd find themselves running for the hills. Severus put the picture frames back on the table, hoping Harry had understood at least most of what he'd said.

Harry began squirming and trying to get down.

"What's wrong, Harry?" asked Severus, staring down at the child.

"I need to pee-pee," said Harry, squirming again, still trying to get down.

"Ah," said Severus, placing Harry on his feet and allowing him to go to the toilet on his own, which he was able to do; he had learned fast, but considering he should have already learnt this by now, it was only a good thing. Of course, bribing with sweets would get anything done quicker; a smirk graced his features as he remembered the first time Harry had tried a chocolate frog. He'd shrieked, half in glee, half shocked. Once it had stopped moving, he'd savoured the sweet as if he'd never tasted anything like it before in his life. Which, of course, he hadn't; Severus didn't give Harry sweets willy-nilly though, as he didn't want Harry's teeth to rot.

Standing up, when he heard the toilet flush, he took Harry's hand when he emerged from the toilet and took him down the stairs. Putting him in his usual spot on the sofa, he let him dig into his breakfast, then he took his own seat and ate his breakfast as well.

* * *

><p>"Stand still for a minute, Harry; this won't hurt, okay?" Severus said, kneeling beside Harry and managing with success to avoid the Legos that were strewn all over the place. After breakfast he'd taken Harry upstairs and helped him brush his teeth and get dressed before coming back down again, ready to face the day.<p>

Harry nodded his head, staring at him curiously.

"_Indoles_," murmured Severus while pointing his wand at Harry; it was the spell in the book about the Metamorphmagi. The spell entered Harry, making him glow briefly before paper furled out of the wand. It would let Severus know all Harry's talents; more specifically, what kind of Metamorphmagus he was, whether he was a partial or otherwise. "All done," he said before moving back to his seat and opening it, ready for whatever came his way.

Severus began to read the results, satisfaction thrumming through him. Harry was a full Metamorphmagus, but according to this, the ability had been temporarily halted, by James Potter no less. Why would they make the decision to stop his ability? That made no sense to him; Lily must have known…so why would she allow it? Staring over at the child, he mused about it for a while; perhaps the threat of impending death had made them do it? He couldn't understand why, and he never would get an answer, unfortunately, since both of them were gone.

His eyes widened upon seeing another talent he'd never expected the child to have: Parseltongue. Harry was a Parselmouth; he had the ability to talk to snakes. Despite his own horrible experience with the language, or rather the other wizard he knew with the talent, Severus bore no ill will towards Parselmouths. In fact, he was rather envious of the child; such ability was coveted by most pureblood families and all Slytherins.

Harry had an inherent ability to be a Legilimens; he would flawlessly be able to enter people's minds and read them if he wished. Occlumency was also another ability he could have if trained in it; someone in the Potter line must have been a natural, much like someone in the Prince line must have been. Severus had been doing it since before he was eleven years old. Of course he hadn't realized it at the time; both abilities had come very easy to him. It was a relief to know that Harry would be able to master those abilities as well. Not everyone could do it; most people assumed it had something to do with Power, but that was just idiots talking. You either had the ability or not, much like the ability to be an Animagus; Severus had the ability, but he'd never harnessed it. He had no desire to be an Animagus—or rather, he hadn't had the desire or the time to learn how.

Perhaps in a few years he could start teaching Harry meditation techniques, but that was further down the line; he had the answer he was looking for. Harry was a full Metamorphmagus. Now Black had stated Harry had changed his hair, which meant that, despite the block, Harry had been able to change. That had no doubt blown his father's pride to bits, knowing his not even one-year-old son was more powerful than he already, to be getting around the block on his ability.

Harry wandered over to Severus, a book clutched in his hands; he handed it to him, all the while staring.

"Do you want me to read it to you?" asked Severus, accepting the book: _Tales of Beedle the Bard_. It was Lily's copy; he'd read it to Harry once, and now it was all he wanted to hear. Not just one story either; he liked to listen to them all.

Harry nodded eagerly, climbing up on Severus' knee and leaning back, waiting patiently.

"Very well," Severus said wryly with a much put-upon sigh, knowing Harry would be sleeping within five minutes. Placing the results of his spell aside, he opened the book and in his softest voice began speaking.

"'The Wizard and the Hopping Pot. There was once a kindly old wizard who used his magic generously and wisely for the benefit of his neighbours. Rather than reveal the true source of his power, he pretended his potions, charms, and antidotes sprang ready-made from the little cauldron he called his lucky cooking pot. From miles around people came to him with their troubles, and the wizard was pleased to give his pot a stir and put things right…'" began Severus, and the little boy listened wide-eyed, as if it was the first time he was hearing it, devouring each and every word his daddy spoke, loving magic more and more each day. Thankfully he was too young to have been taught that magic was freakish…not that this particular little boy would have had the chance before death claimed him as his own and ending the line that had so eluded him to begin with.

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><p>Edited by Jake and Jordre thank you :)<p> 


	16. Chapter 16

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 16 **

**An Odd Day **

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><p>Two, nearly three months had passed. Harry was finally settled in, although he still didn't speak as much as Severus assumed children did. Most children, once they learned to speak, you couldn't get them to shut up. He was just too relieved that Harry was actually talking to worry so much. Severus had investigated the possibility of saving Arabella Figg, but unfortunately from all indications the golem couldn't be created without active magic. Arabella did have magic, but it was locked, if you will; there wasn't enough to cast spells. A Squib didn't have active magic, and so he couldn't create a golem for her. So, if he tried to save her, he would be changing the timeline. He'd already interfered with the timeline: once by coming back in time; secondly, by letting Dobby go to Azkaban and help Black; thirdly, by actually taking on Dobby. If what the Goblins suggested about rips in time was true, saving Arabella would cause a pretty big rip. If she didn't die by Petunia's hand, the police would have no way of finding "Harry." The Dursleys would get away with murder, even if it was only the murder of a golem. It made his stomach twist uncomfortably, knowing he was condemning an innocent woman to die. He had been a spy, and with that came a specific obligation to save those he could. While he hadn't actually taken them from their manors and sent them on their way, he'd told Dumbledore about the Death Eaters' plans and had thus saved entire families.<p>

And so it was that Severus woke up with a feeling of foreboding hovering over him like a rain cloud. He hadn't slept much at all; his mind had refused to shut off last night. Guilt wasn't a new thing for him to experience, but ever since he'd received the letter and started looking after Harry, the guilt had lessened a great deal. Sighing tiredly, then stifling a yawn, he stood up and began his morning routine: using the toilet, showering, brushing his teeth and of course getting dressed for the day.

Severus opened the door to Harry's room, to find the covers of the bed kicked back; frowning briefly, his ears picked up the soft patter of footsteps coming from the bathroom. Turning around, he smiled slightly, giving Harry his reassurances that he wasn't in trouble without saying anything. Harry was easy to panic when he believed he'd done something wrong. Who would have thought Severus' impassive face would help soothe any child? Fortunately it did for Harry, although these days Severus was showing more emotion than before... but only to Harry. Everyone else still irritated the hell out of him. The boy still hadn't done any accidental magic, despite seeing the house elves and him using it a dozen times a day.

"Good morning, little one," Severus said, thinking that he would need to cut Harry's hair again; he looked as though a bird had decided to make its nest in it during the night. While Severus no longer hated all things that reminded him of James Potter, the decision to cut Harry's hair wasn't solely based on the fact it looked like his; he just wanted to keep him safe. To do that, Harry couldn't look like his father; people would know immediately who he was, and that was dangerous ground. Thankfully though, he no longer had a scar, since Snape had removed it, and that was admittedly the first thing people would look for. Across the world, they would simply think it was a coincidence, which was an added bonus to consider living in St. Lucia.

"Morning daddy," whispered Harry shyly, beaming at him.

"Let's go see what the house elves have made for us this morning, shall we?" Severus suggested, moving towards the stairs, but taking his time to let the little legs keep up with him. He had warded the stairs so Harry couldn't come down them unsupervised. Harry was able to walk up and down them on his own; in fact, he ran around like a headless chicken outside. The child had come so far, it was a blessing to see... not that he would admit it, of course. His feelings for Harry were strong, but they didn't automatically change who he was.

Harry held onto the banister as he toddled on down the stairs. He loved his new home, his daddy always made sure his tummy was full. Not like it had been in the horrible place, with the other people who hurt him. He was always cosy and warm, and his bed was always soft and fluffy. He had teddies of his own, and he didn't get screamed at for touching them. His daddy read to him, about potion ingredients, and something called the tales of the beadle bard; his favourite was the hopping pot one. Most of all, his daddy had realized he didn't like the dark―and he hated the dark, it reminded him of the horrible place the nasty people had kept him in. The most amazing thing to him was he didn't hurt―his daddy always made sure he was safe. There were never any horrible smells, like his old bed; it was never stuffy. And his tummy never got sore or growled at him. And the food…he loved it... all of it, even if he had to take the yucky potion before eating.

Harry climbed into his spot as his daddy sat down; as always a house elf brought their food to them. This time it was Dobby. It was hard to tell them apart, but he finally noticed differences after weeks of his daddy calling them by name. Yes, there were pancakes today. He loved them; they were so soft and tasty. He could eat them all day; he liked them better than anything... other than chicken nuggets― he really liked those. Watching his daddy, he reluctantly opened his mouth and swallowed the potion, grimacing in distaste.

"Well done," Severus said, banishing the vials since they were empty now. He would run another diagnostic on Harry and see how much longer he'd need them. He certainly wasn't going to get full-blown rickets with the amount of Vitamin D and sun he'd been getting. Twenty minutes from the house, there was a little play park; on the days the weather permitted he took Harry there and allowed him to play for a short time. He avoided the area during the weekend, when older children tended to hang around there. Not that he was scared of them; it was just that they played more roughly than Harry could. Under no circumstances did he want Harry getting injured or becoming more withdrawn with people. He was still far too shy without adding reluctance due to fear as well.

Passing over his breakfast, he put the TV on and let Harry watch the cartoons. Severus was very grateful he had gotten these electronics. He'd known they'd keep Harry occupied, but he had underestimated their appeal; Harry could watch it for hours on end. He didn't allow Harry to stay glued to it all day, though; he needed exercise and other activities to stimulate his mind, such as educational toys. Not that anyone would be surprised by this outlook; once a teacher, always a teacher, even if you were a bad one, apparently. The books he'd gotten stated that children soaked information up like a sponge, usually with the ages of three to five being the most important time. So since Severus wanted to make sure Harry had the best prospects in life, he wanted him to go to a very good school and learn all he could. Snape wanted Harry to have the opportunities he hadn't; his Muggle education had been mediocre at best as a child, since his Muggle father had been a drunk and had hated his child's being magical…and his mother hadn't known a damn thing about the Muggle world. He hadn't fit in at the Muggle School he'd attended, and the same could be said for his magical education, for he had been a very severe and sarcastic child. He'd never trusted an adult as far as he could throw him. That was why he was determined that Harry would know the best of both worlds; the Muggle world had advanced greatly since Severus had been a young boy.

Twenty minutes later they were finished with their breakfast, and Harry was sitting watching Power Rangers. Dobby had returned and removed the plates, then left to do his additional chores.

"Come on then, Harry," Severus said standing up; he didn't need to say what, since Harry was used to their routine now. After breakfast he would go up the stairs and brush Harry's teeth; he mostly did this so he could wash out the taste of the potion. After they were done with the potions, he was probably going to switch brushing Harry's teeth to before breakfast, like he did. Then he would get Harry dressed for the day, and he would play with the animal farm with Harry, getting him to name all the animals and see if he remembered the noises they made. Today would be slightly different, since the child knew all the Muggle animals now; he had ordered figures of magical animals for Harry to learn. At least with them he wouldn't have to make the noises, since they came equipped with a really life-like sound charm on them. From Hippogriffs to dragons; fun for children of all ages. Normally children collected them one at a time for themselves, but Severus had just bought the entire collection. There would be other things Harry could collect for himself, such as chocolate frog cards, and of course the official Quidditch trading cards― if he liked the sport, of course, but most boys did.

"We playing with animals again?" asked Harry as he climbed up the stairs, Severus right behind him to keep him safe if he stumbled or lost his balance.

"Are we playing with the animals again," Severus said, correcting Harry gently without making it sound like he was reprimanding the boy.

"Are we?" asked Harry as they reached the top step.

"Yes, but with different animals today," Severus answered, opening the door to the bathroom. Harry stepped onto his little box and took his toothbrush, waiting patiently for Severus to put some toothpaste onto it. His daddy said it was important to look after his teeth, especially his big teeth. Sugar could rot them, so he should always brush them properly. His daddy had been right so far, and so he always tried to do what he asked. He brushed carefully, then, picking up his blue cup, he swished the water around his mouth before spitting it out. Smiling, he showed all his teeth to make sure they were still white and not rotting. Even, pearly white teeth stared back at him; hopping down, he went to his bedroom where his daddy was waiting for him.

"Which shirt would you like to wear today?" Severus asked, showing Harry two of them so he could decide. The book said three- to four-year-old children liked to have choices. They wanted to feel competent and independent; it also prevented them from digging in their feet, so to speak, and arguing. Apparently it was a sign of growing up. Severus didn't see it, but the book stated it was, and Severus was tempted to believe it. And this routine would make things better in the long run. It also encouraged Harry to speak, which was something he liked promoting. The first few times had been a disaster, admittedly, but the child had shyly become accustomed to it. Now he was quite happy to pick... at least that seemed to be the case, anyway.

Harry pointed to the white striped shirt. "That one," he decided softly before stripping out of his pyjamas and putting his underwear on, his waist pants, and of course the striped top his daddy passed him. A jumper was also laid out on the bed, but he didn't put it on; they only put them on if they went outside. It was warm enough in the house to go without one; nearly all the rooms had fires lit in their hearths. They also had guards protecting them from coals that could potentially pop out of the fireplaces, and to stop Harry from going too close and ending up burnt.

"Can we play with the animals now?" asked Harry, his green eyes staring up at his daddy.

"Of course," said Severus. Despite the fact that looking after Harry was a full-time job, he still had a lot of time to spend on his potions. From eight o'clock at night until he went to bed was his free time to brew. He rarely brewed during the day; if he did so, it would be a simple potion for Harry or the elves while Harry had his nap. He was also spending the majority of his free time trying to find a cure for the Longbottoms. It would be a long process, he knew that; there was so much information he needed to figure out, before he could potentially begin creating any experimental potions that could bring them out of their withdrawal from the world and pain.

Harry grinned. He loved it when he could play with his daddy; he was always happy when he got the questions right and made the right noises. There was nothing he loved more than making his daddy happy. He had sung "Happy Birthday" to his daddy on his birthday, with the help of the elves, who had taught him the song: "Happy birthday…you, Happy birthday you, Happy birthday daddy." And there had even been cake, the bestest cake ever. It had been the most he'd said up to that point; maybe that was why his daddy had been happy?

Back downstairs, he watched his daddy unpack the figures curiously. They were new ones; he'd never seen those figures before. Sitting down on the rug beside the fire where they always played, he was so excited, he felt like squealing and jumping up and down. He didn't, though. He hadn't ever felt like this until his daddy came; scooting over, he cuddled into Severus as he laid all the figures out. Harry's green eyes roamed over them; they were so colourful, and different from the other animals he'd seen. He couldn't wait to find out what they were.

"These animals are magical ones, Harry. Do you remember the rules about magic?" Severus said to the boy, once they were all out of the box.

"No talking about magic to Muggles," Harry answered surely. He knew that rule; his daddy had made it clear, especially when they started going to the park.

"That's right, well done," said Severus. He had to be very careful about this... but if they did move, he knew that wouldn't be a worry any longer, since he'd pick a magical area in St. Lucia... if they went there.

Harry suddenly shuddered, crying out and not understanding what was happening― he just felt very sick all of a sudden, and cold.

"Harry?" asked Severus, frowning, wondering what was going on. Feeling the shudders racing through his son, he picked him up; feeling at his forehead he became alarmed by the coolness of his skin. Baffled, Severus summoned Harry's cover and placed it around him, more than slightly alarmed. Flicking his wand out, he began to scan the boy to see what on earth was going on. The scan revealed nothing; it showed Harry was in perfect health.

"Are you sore?" enquired Severus.

Harry shook his head, burrowing himself as far as he could get into his daddy.

Then Severus' eyes caught the date and time on the scan he had just performed and goose bumps appeared all over his arms; a shiver worked its way down his back. He closed his eyes, remembering a certain piece of paper in the future that had estimated the time of Harry's death…and he knew with grave certainty that the golem had just died…He had not expected Harry to feel anything, yet he shouldn't be surprised; it had been created using Harry's blood, hair, and magic. Cursing silently, Snape found himself still feeling very odd indeed. The toys were discarded as he stood up with his son in his arms and sat on the couch, just holding him close.

As if he had been there, he envisioned what was happening. Very soon, in one hour to be exact, Arabella Figg would call the police, and just five minutes later…she would be dead. Closing his eyes, he prayed for her forgiveness for being unable to save her. Unfortunately in life, you couldn't save everyone, and this was a very fine example of that situation. He had saved one person; that was the best consolation of all, even more so that it was Harry. Merlin, his thoughts of Harry before he found out… shamed him to the very core of his being. Especially now that he loved Harry as if he were his own.

Another shiver passed through Severus as he rubbed soothingly at Harry's back. Slowly the child warmed back up again. He wasn't surprised when Harry's breathing evened out and he fell asleep. It wasn't as easy for Snape to warm up through, since he felt cold inside. He would be glad when this day was over; he'd always known it would be a bad one, but only because of the events he knew were happening not too far away. Yet this topped any of his suppositions on this event.

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><p>Edited by Jake and Jordre thank you :)<p> 


	17. Chapter 17

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 17 **

**Visiting And Leaving **

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><p>Severus went around the house, gathering everything they would need for the few days they would be away. He was actually contemplating not coming back, but if that was the case, the elves could do the packing and close up the house. It made him feel awkward asking the elves to do anything, but he was so used to doing everything for himself that it would. Even at Hogwarts he didn't see or ask the elves for anything. His clothes went down the laundry chute, and were on his bed cleaned and folded the next day; other than that, he didn't impose upon them. He even kept his own quarters, the potions lab, and his personal lab clean and sterilized... and he did that by hand. He would just have to wait and see how the meeting went, what the school and surrounding area were really like. Harry couldn't be kept secret, that was no life for him; he needed friends, normality― something that he'd never had the chance for before this.<p>

He was so far behind other three-year-olds, in both physical development and social skills. Pot calling the kettle black it might be, but he didn't want Harry growing up like him. For the past year and a half the child had been kept inside a disgusting cupboard with hardly any human interaction, and the only contact he had received had been harsh, no doubt. Harry definitely had catching up to do, and hopefully his experiences at the hands of the Dursleys wouldn't hinder his growth completely. He had adapted so well lately, but he was still behind, especially when interacting with others his own age. He would be better off in a Magical area, one where he didn't have to hide who he was. That was if Harry ever happened to do any accidental magic; as of right now, if he didn't know better, he would have assumed the boy hadn't.

Once everything was packed and in his pocket, Severus began to gather the more important documents for their trip. The Portkey was on the table, along with the reservations for the hotel they were staying in, which was only twenty minutes from the school they were visiting, and their passport documents. These weren't like Muggle ones, just paperwork provided by Gringotts to prove who they were. The documents provided by Gringotts had their assumed names on them; giving them one last check, he nodded.

They were now Septimus Regis and Harrison Regis; thankfully Harry didn't know he was a Potter, and wouldn't for a while. It was too much to ask any three-year-old to remember to keep secrets. No, he meant what he said; Harry would grow up without any burdens on him. He knew it would be harder to keep it from him the older he got, since teenagers would make a big deal out of it and feel betrayed. Hopefully he could raise Harry right, and be able to tell him the truth without any overreactions from his… son. He would know growing up that he was adopted, and what his parents' first names were, but that was it. He couldn't risk anyone's asking Harry, and his innocently revealing who he really was without realizing the consequences.

Severus looked around once more before he satisfied himself that he had indeed remembered everything. He turned to Harry to see him watching him with clouded green eyes. No doubt the child was confused; he hadn't explained, which was remiss of him. Sitting down on the couch, moving the empty breakfast plates, Severus took a deep breath.

"Today we will be going on a little holiday; there is someone I want to meet. We might even have enough time to go to the beach―would you like that?" Severus asked, his black eyes boring into Harry's, trying to gauge how he really felt.

"The beach?" echoed Harry; he'd seen pretty pictures in books, and the water looked so blue and the sand so yellow and he was going to get to see it? His daddy had told him the colours; he taught him lots of things. Excitement thrummed through him. He was really going to the beach! To see the sand and the water! It was going to be so pretty. "Yes, I want to go to the beach," he exclaimed, his green eyes glittering with happiness. The park was fun, so how would the beach be? He couldn't wait.

"We will be leaving soon, but first I have somewhere to go. You can come if you like. I will only be gone five minutes; I have someone I must say goodbye to," Severus solemnly said. He knew the answer before Harry said anything; he'd left Harry alone with the house elves twice, once when he was asleep, but the second time Harry had been awake. Heather had said he sat there, near comatose until Severus returned. Harry wouldn't move, wouldn't speak, wouldn't play with his toys or even look at the elves. He'd just stared at the spot where he had disappeared, and so Severus was always reluctant to go anywhere when Harry was awake.

"Come," Harry said immediately, worrying his bottom lip; he didn't want to be left alone. He was scared his daddy wouldn't come back…just like his mummy and first daddy did. He didn't want to end up with the nasty people who kept him in that dark place again either.

"Alright," Severus said, nodding resignedly. Picking Harry up, he put him on his hip, and, picking up the fresh flowers he'd gotten from the shop down the road yesterday, he Apparated away… to a very familiar place. It gave him the shivers to be back here, but he had to do this.

He put Harry back down on his feet, and the child immediately grabbed onto his hand. Harry looked around warily; he thought it was creepy here. He stayed as close to his daddy as possible, not wanting to be left alone for a second. Looking up at his daddy, he saw he looked sad again; why?

Severus walked over to the area he'd first come to…just a few months ago…but eight years in the future. Sighing softly, he knelt down at the tombstone, brimming with guilt that was nearly eating him alive. He hadn't paid any attention to this stone even in the future; they had been there for Harry only. Severus' fingers trailed over the newly cut stone, removing the dirt that must have been missed absently.

"I am so sorry I couldn't save you, but know this…your sacrifice wasn't in vain. Harry lives on and will grow up happy; someday people will know what you helped do," Severus softly said, vowing to do so when he could; it was the least she deserved. She had tried to save Harry; it was more than anyone else had done... well, with the obvious exception of his mother, who had died for him also. "I hope you understand that if I could have saved you I would have."

"Daddy?" Harry murmured, standing beside the kneeling figure, not sure what to do. His daddy gave him hugs when he got scared or tired…would he want that? It made him feel better, so maybe it might make his daddy happy?

"Yes, Harry?" Severus asked, turning to face his son, his attention focused on him alone.

Harry stepped up and wrapped his little arms around his dad's neck, patting at his back and hoping to make him feel better. Severus wrapped his arms firmly around the little boy, closing his eyes. He wasn't used to people touching him willingly. Nor was he used to people wanting to comfort him, yet this little lost soul loved him and depended upon him to make his life better. Dear Merlin, would the guilt ever go away? Not just Figg, but his actions that had led to Lily's death, his deplorable thoughts about an innocent child… He swallowed bitterly, the bile almost causing him to vomit. He'd wanted to give a child detention for not appearing, never considering for a minute that something bad had happened. What kind of person did that make him? He didn't deserve this sweet soul in front of him, but he was the only one who could do this, and he wasn't going to let them down again, not ever. This just strengthened his resolve. If this school was what was promised, then they would remain abroad, where nobody could find them.

"Better now?" asked Harry, his green eyes bright.

"I am, thank you, Harry," Severus said. Turning to face the tombstone, he placed a single rose on it... but he couldn't make it so it would never wither or die, not here in the Muggle world. Turning to the other grave beside hers, without a word he placed a single rose also on the top of "Harry Potter's" grave. They wouldn't be returning here, at least not for a very long time; his mind was now resolute.

Picking Harry up once more, he took them to one more destination. Ironically enough, it was somewhere else he had been eight years in the future. This time though, the little grave…was nowhere to be seen, as he had expected. Watching Harry, he could see that the boy was looking around curiously, not really understanding why he was there. Crouching down, Severus marvelled at the fact that he could do so without getting aching knees and/or a sore back. After all the Cruciatus Curses the Dark Lord had thrown at him, along with living in a damp underground area, his body had felt like that of a man of sixty, not one nearing his thirties. It was why he'd chosen to take the potion: not just to keep up with Harry, but to allow him to experience everything again. It was a new start for both of them, and he wanted to enjoy it. It did take some getting used to, being so young. Technically he was now nineteen years old, and had been since January the ninth. His body, though, was still... he'd estimated it to be still seventeen. Soon the mark would be making its reappearance; it was going to be odd covering up his arm again. He'd gotten so used to wearing T-shirts once more.

Severus did the charm on the flower; the others he'd brought were still there. By the time his other self came to visit as he did on Halloween, the magical signature would be gone, so he'd never know who had left the flowers. He placed the entire bouquet on Lily's grave, his hawk-like eyes taking in his surroundings. Thankfully nobody was around; it was much too early for the inhabitants of Godric's Hollow to be up and nosing around. Should he tell Harry who was here? Could he even begin to understand?

"This is where your mummy and first daddy were laid to rest, Harry. Would you like to say goodbye to them?" Severus asked.

Harry blinked uncomprehendingly, why would his mummy and daddy be in there? Was it heaven? How could they watch over him from under there? He didn't understand at all, so he just cuddled into his daddy seeking comfort. He didn't like it here, he wanted to go home.

"I will take care of him, Lily. I promise you this, and it's a promise I intend to keep. I'm taking him somewhere safe, but we will be back someday," Severus quietly said before standing up once more, Harry already on his hip. He noticed an older woman, someone he knew to be Bathilda Bagshot, emerging from her house. Immediately Severus Apparated them away, not wanting to be seen, despite the fact that she wouldn't be able to see them― she was old and probably had failing eyesight.

"Welcome back, Master Severus, Harry," Heather said from where she stood, having just magically gotten rid of the ashes and replaced the wood in the hearth. She turned back to her task and lit the fire, watching it blaze as all magical fires did; a few seconds later the fire was crackling merrily in the fireplace.

"Thank you, Heather," Severus said, not stopping; he merely took hold of the Portkey that would take him to his hotel. The meeting wasn't until the afternoon, and he did hope there wouldn't be a lot of parents there…he just couldn't stand being around so many people. He had the letter from the Headmaster in his pocket as well, which would serve as a Portkey to the school itself when the time came. "Hold on to this very tightly, Harry. Now it might feel a little odd, but do not let go, okay?"

"Okay," Harry said. His little fingers gripped the paper tightly as he scrunched his eyes tightly closed.

"St. Lucia Bay Garden Hotel," Severus firmly stated, and then the nauseating yanking from his navel let him know the Portkey had worked. After what seemed like hours of whirling sickness, but was just a minute at the most, they felt their feet firmly on the ground. The arrivals room was bright, small but spacious, nothing in it but posters saying welcome to Bay Garden Hotel, with a list of activities both Muggle and magical they could enjoy, maps of the area, and other interesting tidbits.

"Welcome to the Bay Garden Hotel, sir," the young porter said upon entering the room. His tanned complexion, added to his smile, would have put nearly anyone at ease. He looked around; not seeing any luggage, he asked the question on his mind. "Do you have any luggage I may take up to your room, sir?"

"No, thank you," Severus said dryly before leaving the arrivals room, rolling his eyes at the man's insistence on holding the door open for him.

"Is there anything I can do for you, sir? How about I show you to your room?" he asked professionally.

"We will be fine," Severus said, nodding curtly. He noticed Harry was looking at everything in wide-eyed wonder. The lobby doors were open, giving them a perfect view of the beach and the Caribbean Sea.

"Look," Harry said pointing to it, despite the fact he was so warmly dressed and was beginning to feel uncomfortable, it was so hot here. "Can we go?"

"In a few minutes; first we have to check in and get changed," Severus said. Going over to the concierge desk, he handed over the letter as proof that he had paid upfront; it also had their room number.

"Welcome to the Bay Garden Hotel, sir," the concierge said, handing over the room key with a smile. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask for me; my name is Jorge."

"Indeed," Severus said, accepting the key before leaving. Once he was safely far enough away, he placed Harry on his feet and entered the lift. St. Lucia was a beautiful but hot place by the looks of things, and it was relatively unknown, so they wouldn't end up bumping into tourists from the UK. With a ding, they found themselves on their floor; exiting the lift he looked around until he found which way to go. It didn't take them long at all to get into the thankfully air-conditioned room; he was sweating profusely already.

"Can we go now?" Harry asked, his green eyes gleaming with excitement and impatience. He was hopping up and down, unable to contain his exuberance.

Severus stared at Harry in surprise; he'd never seen him so excited before. Thankfully, though, his tone had remained respectful. Under no circumstances was he going to allow Harry to be disrespectful; if he let him get away with it now, it would just continue to spiral out of control. It was a nice surprise to see Harry acting like a normal three-year-old.

"In a minute," Severus said softly, removing his cloak and laying it on the chair. (They didn't have to hide here, since it was a Magical hotel.) After that, he removed his jumper, sighing in relief that he was out of the restricting clothing. He stared down at his trousers thoughtfully; he'd never worn shorts in his life…and wasn't sure about wearing them even now. Yet he wanted to. He was just another tourist here, just another young man, not a scary Potions Master, and he wanted to experience life; he might as well go the whole nine yards. His mind made up, he transfigured his trousers into shorts. They might be black, but still they were short enough that he wouldn't be overheated. He felt as if he was taking down any defences he had, which was extremely odd, but he'd never even tried it in his other life. His life had never been his own; he'd always served two people who had just used him for the information he could bring them.

Moving over to Harry, he took his jumper off and changed his trousers into a pair of grey shorts. He tapped his wand lightly against Harry's head and nodded in satisfaction when the spell took effect. It acted as a protection against sunburn, keeping him safe from the harmful rays of the sun.

"Don't run off, and don't go into the water unless I'm with you, okay?" Severus instructed his son firmly, letting Harry know he was very serious.

"Okay, daddy," Harry said nodding vigorously.

"Is there anything you want to ask?" Severus asked, giving Harry a chance to ask him anything he wanted.

"Am I 'llowed to talk about magic?" Harry asked, his green eyes wide and earnest.

"Allowed, and yes, in this area you can," Severus replied, wondering what Harry would say if he did speak about it. It seemed meaningless, because so far Harry barely spoke to him, never mind to strangers. "Later this afternoon we are going to a magical school to visit the headmaster there."

Harry nodded, not really understanding why his daddy wanted to visit anyone, but the thought of the beach had all other thoughts wiped from his mind. Holding onto his daddy's hand, he was barely able to contain his excitement; a squeal left his lips before he realized what he'd done. Severus just smiled slightly down at him, inordinately pleased to see him so carefree. As they made ready to leave the hotel room and go mingle with all the other people, he wondered very briefly what people would think…would they assume he was Harry's father or his brother? The second option made him shudder; shaking off his thoughts, he started to lead his excited three-year-old to the beach to experience it for the first time. Not only was it Harry's first time, but it was Severus' as well― he'd never in all his years been to the beach.

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><p>Edited by Jake and Jordre thank you :)<p> 


	18. Chapter 18

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 18 **

**The Beach And Grande Riviere Magical School **

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><p>Severus had grabbed his wand and the pouch which was directly connected to his vault at Gringotts. The money he'd taken to buy the property in the UK had already been replaced. The potion he'd created to help people cope with their emotions was doing really well, and not just in the UK either; he'd had orders from St. Mungo's American branch. He slid both items into his pockets, which thankfully his shorts did indeed have. With that he guided a jumping, impatient three-year-old from the room. Merlin, he'd never heard Harry squealing before, not even going to the park. He was getting better, and it was music to his ears, it truly was.<p>

"Can I press the button?" Harry shyly asked, peering at his daddy from the corner of his eyes as they entered the lift to take them back down to the lobby of the hotel. His green eyes would have put the sun to shame, such a sparkle they held within their depths.

"Of course; press that one," Severus instructed, pointing straight at the little button with "G" for ground floor on it. They were currently on the first floor. He watched Harry standing on his tiptoes to press it, watching it light up with obvious delight. Harry turned to beam at his daddy; he'd never been in so many different places before, or seen so many people. Everything was so different from the cupboard and the nasty people. He loved his daddy; he took him to the park, and now he was getting to go to the beach. His cuddles were the best though; nothing could compare to them.

With a ding the doors of the lift opened, letting them out. Instead of heading for the main doors, though, Severus headed for the gift shop inside the hotel. He headed straight for the section of beach goods, and grabbed a few things for Harry to play with: a bucket and spade, and of course a blow-up beach ball. After paying the shop assistant, he led Harry outside, the doors automatically opening for them... and that was when the heat really hit them. It was a heat that neither of them was used to, but Harry didn't seem to mind as he eyed the beach with awe.

Harry looked around at all the people, slightly fearful, but he wanted to see and play on the beach too much to care much right now. As long as his daddy was there, nobody would hurt him― he knew that. Harry tightened his grip on his daddy's hand as they walked towards the beach. They found a little secluded spot, where hardly anyone was around, and sat down, but they weren't alone for long, since more people seemed to come and fill the void.

Severus flicked his wand, removing the packaging from the bucket and spade, and handed it to Harry. No doubt he would be confused, but Harry would get there. He could see what the other children were doing with these; Harry was smart, he would pick it up. Removing the ball from the cardboard box, Severus tapped it with his wand, and it filled with air and closed the plastic air containment piece. He handed it to Harry, who grabbed onto it, still gazing around in awe.

Severus looked around them as well. He found nothing fascinating about the beach, or why people would want to come all the time. The noise was a little much for him, but occasionally there would be a lull in the sound, which let him hear nothing but the sea and the waves which soothed and calmed him like nothing else had. Most of the families in the area were older ones, more his age…or well, they used to be until he'd taken a de-aging potion. There were a few teenagers and a small child—that's if they were all mother, father, daughter and sons of course.

Turning back to Harry his lips twitched; the child had figured it out on his own; he was a smart boy. Severus already knew that; Harry had such a thirst for knowledge. He remembered things easily; he knew all the Magical and Muggle animals, and the figures had a proud place on his desk in his bedroom. He sometimes took the dragons and other magical figures to the bath with him, he definitely preferred playing with them. The Magical dragons liked to puff smoke, and Harry always gazed at them in awe as if trying to figure out just how they did it.

Harry cocked his head to the side, wondering why his sandcastle wasn't like the one over there; it just fell down again. His eyes widened when he noticed the mummy using her magic to make a big one for the little boy. He wanted one like that! His tongue poked out the side of his mouth; his daddy and the Elves did magic…his mummy and first daddy had had magic too. Could he do it? Turning back to his own lumpy sandcastle, he touched it, wishing with all his might that he had a nice big sandcastle too. Then before his eyes the sand began to move, until he had a nice castle of his own. Beaming at his own success, he continued to gaze at it, mesmerised.

"You're a clever boy, Harry! Well done!" Severus said, his voice filled with pride as he scooped his son up and hugged him close. He had finally done magic, and he had to make sure to praise him appropriately for it, so he knew it was okay. "I am so proud of you, little one."

Harry giggled, a smile still on his face as he hugged his daddy back; he was magical just like his daddy and he'd made his daddy happy. He always liked it when he made his daddy happy; he didn't like to see him sad. Lying there on the crook of his neck, he felt happy; he never wanted to end up back in that horrible cupboard. He was a good boy, and his daddy was here; he wouldn't let anything bad happen.

"I think someone deserves a sweet for being good, don't you?" Severus suggested, planting the three-year-old back on his feet. He was overwhelmed by the love and need shining in those green orbs. Dear Merlin, how could he have hated Lily's child? But no, he hadn't hated him…not really, he'd just hated the thought of who he assumed Harry would be: spoiled, thinking himself above the rules because of his fame. Fame would go to anyone's head, and he'd wrongly assumed Petunia would have spoiled him despite her sour childhood disposition. Removing a Galleon from his money pouch, he handed it over to Harry; the child's fingers clamped over it, as if he were holding onto a rock.

"Go on then, little one. Go get yourself an ice cream; I will remain right here, I promise, and I'll be watching," Severus said, showing him where the ice cream van was. "Two ice cream cones: one vanilla, and you can get any flavour you like." He had to help Harry become independent; he couldn't remain dependent on him forever. Plus it would make it easier when Harry began school. Severus was rather hopeful that the school would live up to his expectations. If it didn't... well, Harry wouldn't be attending it.

Harry looked over at the van before turning back to his daddy; biting his lip, he nodded slowly. He didn't want to disappoint his daddy, and he really wanted an ice cream. It wasn't too far, and his daddy said he'd watch; nobody was around, so he wouldn't be hurt. Clutching his coin as if it were a precious diamond, he walked towards the van, which towered over him when he got there a minute later.

"Hello, sweetie; what can I get you?" a nice lady asked, smiling down at him.

"Two ice cream cones please," Harry said, speaking slowly, remembering what his daddy had said.

"What flavour would you like, sweetie? We have mint, toffee, fudge, chocolate, vanilla, peanut butter, and strawberry." She would have named more, but the child looked overwhelmed with what she'd said so far.

"Toffee and vanilla, please," Harry said, his green eyes gleaming happily. Toffee sounded fun; he looked around just to make sure his daddy was still there. He beamed when he saw he was still looking over, see, and his daddy always told the truth. He turned back to find two large ice cream cones in the lady's hands.

"Ten Sickles, sweetie," she said.

Harry looked at her curiously, wondering what Sickles meant, then he remembered the coin in his hand. He'd seen his daddy hand coins over when buying things. Opening his hand he held the coin out for her to take, which she did.

"Do you have pockets, sweetie?" she asked.

Harry stared down before looking back up and nodding; why would she want to know if he had pockets? Then she handed coins back. He put them in his pocket, only to receive more from her, then another set, and another set. Until he had seventeen sickles in his pocket, which was nearly pulling his shorts down. His tongue poking out of his mouth, he used his hands to tie his shorts tighter so they didn't fall.

"Here you go, sweetie," the ice cream lady said, handing over both cones, but not letting go until she was sure the child had a good grip on them.

"Thank you," Harry said kindly, before turning away and toddling back to his daddy, handing over the cones as he took his seat once again on the sandy beach, where his castle was. Then he handed the silver coins over. With his small hands it took a while, but eventually they were all out of his pocket.

"Well done," Severus said, handing Harry his caramel-coloured cone. Flicking his wand to find out the time, he nodded briefly; they could remain here for a little while longer. Perhaps he'd take Harry into the water when they finished their cones. An ice cream cone... Severus sometimes felt as though he was in the twilight zone. He'd never had one growing up. He'd had a few sundaes at Fortescue's ice cream parlour when he could spare the money; other than that, he'd never allowed himself the pleasure of just enjoying something. "Eat it quickly; the sun will make it melt," he added as an afterthought, which was obvious; the ice cream was already beginning to run down the cone.

Severus hadn't had the pleasure of receiving positive reactions when he'd displayed magic as a child. His mother had been terrified, and his father furious; he couldn't help wondering now, as an adult…if his mother had even been the slightest bit proud. It was just after that, that she had begun giving him potion lessons—theoretical work, of course, since there was no way for them to do the actual brewing. Not only that, but she'd given him her books, which were always shrunk and hidden by the time Tobias got home. That was as parental as his mother had ever gotten with him; he had never understood why they'd had him to begin with, as neither of them had wanted children at all.

Harry licked his toffee cone, and nearly squealed again― it tasted the best ever! Licking his lips, he continued eating his cone, licking at the ice cream until it was nearly all gone. Looking up at his daddy he saw him eating the outer bit, so he did the same thing. It was nice and soft, easy to chew on, until he could get to the remains of the ice cream—which was runny now, but Harry didn't mind.

Severus ruefully shook his head before flicking his wand out and cleaning Harry up once the cone was finished, getting rid of the sticky mess on both his hands and face. "Would you like to go into the water?" He knew the answer before Harry even comprehended what he'd said, so he wasn't surprised when the little head snapped up and nodded vigorously.

"Come," Severus said, removing their shoes and socks and putting them neatly beside the beach ball and bucket. Harry picked the bucket up before taking his hand and they both went down to investigate the water.

"Look! Pretty," Harry declared, bending down to retrieve the item he thought was pretty.

"That, Harry, is a conch shell," Severus said, bending down, ready as always to educate Harry. Unfortunately, Harry wasn't going to be able to take it with him. Removing shells and other beach items was illegal in St. Lucia, and one needed a permit to even "fish" for the conch shells. In actuality, not many shells were found on the beach in these parts due to…"poaching," one could call it. People would take them, and try to sell them from small carts to tourists, which resulted in the tourists' getting ripped off. Then, when they returned home, the shells were taken away from them. "Animals live inside; the shell is their home."

"Where?" Harry asked curiously; how could an animal live inside it? He didn't shake it, just in case he upset whatever it was.

"They are very small," Severus softly said, before he took the shell and replaced it exactly where it had been before Harry took it.

Harry giggled when the water splashed all over his feet; it was cold but warm at the same time. The sand squished under his feet; it felt odd but Harry didn't let that deter him. He stepped forward until his feet were under the water, keeping a tight hold of his daddy, not wanting to fall. The waves were gentle, but enough to make him feel like he was about to topple over. This was nice; he wanted to stay here forever! Harry filled his bucket with water, but found it too hard to carry, so he had to pour lots of it out until it was light enough.

"Finished?" Severus asked, his lips twitching.

Harry nodded before he began walking out, keeping a tight grip of his bucket. Once they were back to their spot, Harry poured it all over an unused section of the sand, before he began to try to make a new sandcastle by himself. Unfortunately, all he succeeded in doing was making something that looked like a pyramid. Harry didn't mind, though; he liked it very much and was proud of himself. Harry looked up at his daddy when he dried his feet and began to put his socks on.

"We going now?" Harry asked.

"Are we leaving now," Severus corrected automatically. "Yes, but we will come back another day," he promised.

Harry gave Severus a big smile. He couldn't wait to come back; he'd had so much fun. He waited patiently until his shoes were on, before standing up and waiting for his daddy to put on his own. His hands scooped up the ball and his bucket, spade, and rake, not wanting them to be left behind. They were his, and nobody else was getting them; he clutched them possessively to himself, using only one hand so he could take his daddy's hand when they were walking.

"Come on then, little one," Severus said, making sure nothing was left behind before they walked back to the hotel. There was time for a bite to eat before they went to the school. He would just request room service; he wasn't in the mood for more company—although he had to admit it hadn't been as bad as he had envisioned. It was actually a peaceful place when you blocked out the noisy children. Still, he would rather it just be he and Harry for some lunch. With that in mind, it took no time at all to ask at the concierge desk for some room service to be delivered to them before getting into the lift. Harry once again lit the button, exuberantly, although Severus could tell he was beginning to tire out. It was no wonder; he usually had a little nap before now, but perhaps he should begin cutting it out altogether.

* * *

><p><strong>Harry and Severus - Grande Riviere Magical School <strong>

Severus used the Portkey at the designated time, and the Portkey took them directly to the front of the school. The large sign greeted them with the name of the school; under it was a picture of its insignia, and directly under that was the motto for the school, written in both Latin and English. Hogwarts' motto was, "Never tickle a sleeping dragon;" however, this school used the motto, "Non eos tantum, qui ausus est nimis valde, consequi posit"— "Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly." Shaking off his thoughts, he looked down at his son and realized he'd probably be carrying him; he looked too tired to walk anywhere. Thankfully, he had a lot of stamina, so he would be able to do it with no problem; it helped that Harry wasn't at his ideal weight yet—although he had gotten a lot taller since he'd taken him from Privet Drive; the marks on his door proved it. It also helped to prove that the potion was doing its job as well.

"Septimus Regis?" enquired a wizard stepping from the shadows. He was as tall as Severus himself, but that was where the similarities ended. This man was extremely tanned, with striking blue eyes, and had an air of confidence about him.

"Indeed," said Severus, nodding his head to the side, observing the wizard curiously.

"I'm Headmaster Adison; it's nice to meet you both. This must be Harrison?" the Headmaster asked, smiling in welcome to the young boy. He had the most exquisite green eyes he'd ever seen. He was also very shy, he observed, but a lot of children were, though that was mostly only children who weren't used to interacting with other people on a daily basis until they came to school. From the writing the wizard had done, he'd expected an older man; needless to say he was pleasantly surprised, and it just went to show there was hope for the younger generation after all.

"Good to meet you, sir. I thought this was an orientation tour," Severus said enquiringly. There was absolutely nobody else there, so it was obvious that wasn't the case at all, which had him curious. Why would the headmaster of an elite school come to greet them personally? It wasn't as if Dumbledore did the same thing to everyone that turned up at the school.

"None of the "sir;" my name is Talin; it's very nice to meet you. Why don't we take this meeting somewhere more comfortable? Would you like a tour of the school, or would you rather hear about it first?" Talin asked, gesturing for them to follow him. "The orientation meeting was changed; unfortunately neither I nor my deputy was available on the scheduled date, not something that's ever happened before, I can assure you. We set it for a week earlier; with you being so far away, we knew the letter would not get to you in time. I moved my schedule around, and thankfully succeeded in being here on time." He didn't do orientations on his own; there were just too many people coming. So there were always at least three teachers and five of the top students that had just graduated the previous term to answer any questions they had.

"You always do orientations?" Severus asked; it wasn't something Hogwarts did. If it was for Muggle-born students, then a teacher would go to them and talk about the school. The purebloods always accepted their places at Hogwarts; it was a tradition more than anything else—well, other than those who decided to go to Durmstrang Institute, which admittedly didn't happen often, mostly because the mothers didn't want their children going to school so far away. Durmstrang did not admit Muggle-borns into their school, so all those that attended were purebloods, which was highly desirable to the purebloods and more so for the Death Eaters.

"Of course; how else can the parents feel secure in sending their children here?" Talin replied, giving the wizard a curious look. He knew the wizard was English ―his accent gave him away; he knew a little about the UK, but not a lot.

"It is not done back home; Hogwarts does not offer orientations," Severus said. Looking around, his eyes gazed at the school. It had only two levels, unless he was very much mistaken, although it was much bigger lengthwise. In fact there could have been two of Hogwarts sitting on the school that way. That wasn't even counting the acreage on each side of the building, which seemed to be divided into Muggle and Magical areas. It would make getting to class much easier, that was for sure, without a legion of staircases to climb.

"How do the parents feel about that?" Talin asked, curious about their customs. Opening the door, he let the visiting wizard through first before taking a seat behind his desk. His office was nothing extravagant; he preferred using the money to educate the children rather than filling his office with items he would only ever see when he worked.

"I have absolutely no idea," Severus said honestly, as he took his seat, Harry sitting on his knee and looking around in interest at his new surroundings.

"Harrison? If you wish to play, there is a box of toys over there that may entertain you," Talin said pointing towards the obvious toys.

"It's okay, Harry. I'm not going anywhere," Severus said softly, giving Harry a choice.

Harry looked at both of them before he slid off his daddy's lap; they were just talking and there was nothing fun about that. So he might as well play... plus there was a large Abraxan in that box, and he liked the look of it. Climbing on the couch, he crossed his legs and grabbed a few toys from the box at the side, gleefully inspecting it thoroughly. His small figurines were nothing compared to this. The wings were really big; he would love to see one someday.

"You must have had him really young," Talin said, observing the child and wondering if the mother was still around. Considering he'd brought the child with him, he'd bet that Septimus was a single father.

"Indeed," Severus said, revealing nothing.

"And his mother?" Talin asked cautiously.

"She died when he was a baby," Severus answered truthfully, his posture tense; he did not want to get into all this. "What subjects do you offer for the students?" he then added to change the subject.

"What age?" asked Talin, becoming professional.

"Perhaps you should start with the age of four?" Severus asked firmly.

"They do not have classes _per se;_ it's more of a nursery where they can come, make friends, and learn their words, numbers, and of course Latin. Four months into the year, they will receive training wands, and begin learning to open their magical core, using it once a week to expand it and get used to holding a wand. The spells will be simple ones, colour-changing mostly, and how to create bubbles out of the end of the wand, and perhaps even water. It's during this time that we find the more magically powerful children," Talin told him.

"Why?" Severus shrewdly asked.

"Well, as you may know, magically powerful children have it easier when it comes to spell-casting; they won't need as much guidance as those who find it difficult to cast spells. They are put into two groups, class A and class B. None are treated differently, and we use no terms like "advanced classes;" the children aren't made to feel special, or the less magically powerful ones made to feel inferior. All children should be given the chance to expand their potential. Children who have trouble young, do tend to surprise us later in life by overtaking others at exam time. We keep an eye on them, and if they do, their classes are switched, should both the student and his parents agree. The parents here have a large say in how their children are taught, and are always informed if something happens, whether it's something insignificant or concerning," Talin explained.

"Is it a boarding school? That's something that wasn't confirmed in the brochure I received," Severus asked.

"It's both a day school and a boarding school—which is only open to children aged five and up—but we never have more than ten students staying in the dormitory in any given year. Most people in these parts prefer their children home at nighttime," Talin said.

"And when they're five?" Severus asked. The school did sound very much more advanced than Hogwarts. Neither Dumbledore nor the Heads of Houses bothered to send notes home, not even when the students were gravely injured, whether it had been a potions accident (not that one had occurred since he'd become Potions Master) or just a bad fall from their brooms. Muggles were unaware of anything that happened to their children during the year; they were completely cut off, relying only on what their children wrote to them via owl whenever they felt like it.

* * *

><p>Edited by Jake and Jordre thank you :)<p> 


	19. Chapter 19

**Fixing Past Mistakes **

**Chapter 19 **

**Hearing More About The School **

* * *

><p>"When they are five they mostly have what we term as normal classes, with two magically focused classes, sometimes three, depending on what the parents want. The classes are writing, reading, and maths; their Latin, of course, would be continued. Physical education classes, which include a wide variety of Muggle sports, football, rounders, and rugby, and there are, of course, flying lessons. This is simply on training brooms that only go two feet in the air, and a medic and two teachers are always on hand should anything happen. The safety of our students is extremely important to us. The two classes are a mixture of magic; it is not centered on a specific craft. Nothing too strenuous, of course, since their magical core has just been opened. They are taught Levitating charms, which do take a few weeks, perhaps even months, depending on the child. Then there would be the wand-lighting charm, and by the end of the year the softening charm and mending charm. All spells found in the <em>Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1."<em> Talin stopped there, seeing the rather shocked look on the young wizard's face, probably the first genuine emotion he'd seen from him yet. He wasn't sure what to make of him, but it was obvious he was a good father; his son constantly looked for him as if afraid he'd disappear. If the child had seen his mother die, then that would certainly explain it, but Septimus had said she'd died when he was a baby.

"Are you trying to tell me that five-year-old children successfully manage to cast those spells in one year at such a young age?" Severus asked, quite frankly shocked to the core.

"Of course; why wouldn't they?" Talin asked in confusion.

"I see," Severus said, trying to digest that. Spells that eleven-year-old children just learn at Hogwarts…five-year-olds were being taught them here, obviously very successfully, if the plain confusion on Talin's face was anything to go by. It blew his preconceived notions to hell, and he wasn't sure how to feel about that. "What about the underage wizardry law?"

"I am to assume that is some law in the UK?" Talin asked; perhaps he should have looked into this more before meeting with the wizard.

"Yes; children under the age of seventeen aren't allowed to use magic outside of school. Anything done under the age of eleven is considered accidental magic. The children only begin their education at the age of eleven... spells you are telling me five-year-olds cast here," Severus said. If they were educated until they were eighteen…just what the hell could they be taught?

"I see," Talin said thoughtfully, shifting in his seat, sitting forward and rubbing his chin absently as he gathered his thoughts. The rules seemed a bit restrictive in the UK; not to forget all that magical potential being lost. Not educating them in their magic until they were eleven? Well, no wonder Mr. Regis was so shocked that they taught children spells at the age of five. "Some of those rules apply here: you aren't supposed to do magic in front of Muggles that do not know about the magical world. The children are taught that, of course; in fact they keep their training wands in their lockers at the end of the day, unless the parents wish it otherwise and live in a magically and/or secluded area. Of course we try and keep it as fair as possible for all students, but regretfully it's not always possible."

"Aren't supposed to?" Severus sharply enquired.

"Children are children at the end of the day, and until they are older they don't have complete control over their magic. As you probably already know, their power is tied to their emotions, and growing up can be quite difficult, especially with magical powers," Talin said. "It's why we have after-school clubs, where they can play with their friends, cast more magic, and have fun. There are a wide range of after-school activities, such as Gobstones, for which we have the trophy underage team in the international league, thanks to our students. All this, of course, is just two years; we have an entire room dedicated to each trophy the students of this school have acquired over the years."

Severus eyed the wall: underage Quidditch team, Gobstones club team, Astronomy Club team, Charms Club, Transfiguration Club team, Duelling Club team, Potions club team. Art club team, Literature team club, best poetry team club. The list was, quite frankly, endless, and those were just for the past two years? He could see why the reviews at Gringotts were so full on. Of course, they would all have to be underage, since once they left school the trophies would only be presented to the winner, not a big one for the school and a small one for its students. It was hard to get his mind around "underage" being nearly nineteen years old, unless it was different here.

"What age do you become an adult here?" Severus asked curiously.

"Sixteen; the last two years are more focused on what the students want to do once they are graduated. In fact, just last year we had six apprentices graduate to Mastery level with our teachers; it's a new record, one we are very proud of," Talin said.

"So they are free to leave at sixteen?" Severus asked.

"Of course, that's graduate level," Talin said.

"And their exam level?" Severus thoughtfully asked.

"By then they will have completed both their O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s, and they can even take their apprentice exams if they wish," Talin stated. "Again, the children and parents have a big say in it, and if they think they can handle it, who are we to discourage them?" Children learnt from making mistakes, but there were no mistakes when it came to learning, just let-downs if the results weren't as good as they hoped.

"I see," said Severus; quite frankly, he just wanted to go back to the hotel and think for a while. He'd always assumed children couldn't be taught spells because it would destroy their developing magical cores. Nearing sixty years of this school couldn't be wrong; did that mean Dumbledore and the Ministry were misleading everyone, or did they truly believe it?

"Back to the original conversation, the other class is potion basics," Talin said, watching Severus' eyes met his intensely. This wizard had a passion for the art of brewing potions. Only those who had a deep desire and passion for a topic could get that sparkle in their eyes, that intensity.

"Such as?" Severus asked, bracing himself for what was to come. He knew that, no matter what, he wasn't going to like the answer, or rather understand it at the very least. The students at Hogwarts certainly didn't want to learn; he couldn't imagine teaching a class of five-year-olds. Whoever the Potions Master was, they had guts in spades that's all he'd say about it.

"They only make a few potions; most of the year is spent learning how to properly prepare the ingredients: how to cut, slice, chop, dice, and mince ingredients, and why certain ingredients and herbs don't mix well together. They use fresh ingredients, and if they don't make a mistake it goes to the Potions lab for the older students to use that same day," Talin replied.

Well to be truthful, that made him feel better; at least they obviously took Potions seriously and realized it was just too dangerous for five-year-olds to brew much. How to prepare the ingredients... normally the students had to learn about that in a book at Hogwarts. There was just not enough time in the year to teach them things like that, for all the potions he wanted them to learn before graduating Hogwarts. Inwardly his mind drifted to all the students who'd failed to take the cauldron off the fire before adding the porcupine quills, which had just led to explosion after explosion; they just didn't listen.

"Which few potions do they brew?" asked Severus, sitting forward.

"This year the teacher has decided that the students will learn three potions during the year: a boil cure, and a forgetfulness potion, as well as a hair-raising potion," Talin firmly said.

"There have been no accidents?" Severus worriedly demanded. Those potions were difficult for eleven-year-olds who could barely pay any attention, never mind five-year-olds.

"No; if you like, you are welcome to talk to our two Potion Masters and their three assistants. The Potion assistants only help with children five to eight years of age," Talin said. "In fact, they are here today; they are brewing potions, not that it's a surprise, and one is working on a new invention, something they love to do during the holidays. Most of their theoretical work is done during the year; their focus is always one hundred percent on the students."

"Now I know you are being disingenuous, no matter what you are doing, a Potions Master cannot help but to think about potions," Severus said wryly. He should know; despite the fact he looked only seventeen and his legal age was nineteen, he was still, on the inside, nearly a forty-year-old man.

"Speaking from personal experience?" Talin asked in amusement. He had pegged him right; he was very passionate about potions.

"I am," said Severus, "I have a Mastery in Potions, and I've recently created a Potion that's doing well in St. Mungo's."

"You would get on well with the others," Talin said, smiling. He was more open when talking about Potions; it seemed to him that Septimus had been through some harsh times, and perhaps that was why he was so closed off. Losing the woman you love would admittedly do that to anyone. Merlin, he couldn't imagine losing his own wife; it would kill him.

"Perhaps," Severus said cryptically. Looking over at his son, his lips twitched; he was still playing with the horse, and he had noticed him playing with the winged horses more than anything else. Well, other than the dragons, of course, but all children were fascinated with new things, weren't they?

"I have a detailed syllabus here, for each year and the prospective classes, that you can take with you. Of course they change over time; new potions, spells, or charms are added when new ones are created, or if the teachers want to shake things up," Talin said, looking through his drawers until he found what he was looking for. Humming in approval, he picked up the forms and passed them over to the wizard.

"Thank you," Severus said, accepting the paperwork. Looking down, he noticed the list was much larger than first anticipated. History of magic, Muggle history, outings of all kinds, both Muggle and magical in nature. This wasn't just a list of classes, this was a run-down of everything the school did or planned on doing. Wandless magic? Ages 15-18 only, hmm, this was utterly mesmerising. "Wandless magic? How many students actually sign up for that class?" he asked doubtfully.

"At fifteen, not many, admittedly; however, we usually have three or four witches or wizards apply at the age of sixteen," Talin replied. "It complicates matters, especially for those that are ahead, but since it's usually only one or even two students, the teacher can educate them all whenever a student or two decides to take the class. It's much better than the prospect of a student not getting to fulfill their potential. A promise was made when this school was built by my great-great grandfather that the student would come first, that no child would go unnoticed; their voice is always the one we listen to."

"You really get that many students proficient in wandless magic?" Severus asked. He couldn't believe his ears; he was able to do wandless magic, but only so many spells, hardly enough to graduate…just how powerful were they? Was Hogwarts holding them back? Or was it due to the fact that their cores were opened early and they believed everything was possible?

"Of course; doesn't this Hogwarts teach the students the ability?" Talin asked. Just what kind of school was Hogwarts? He was going to investigate, find out what he could; perhaps it was time to expand, actually try to gain students from the UK, because he truly did not like what he was hearing from Septimus Regis regarding it.

"Merlin, no," Severus said, biting down on the urge to add "at least not when I attended;" that would just blow the whole thing wide open. He was supposed to have been home-schooled, after all; he wasn't Severus Snape anymore, but a very free wizard called Septimus Regis. However, he need not have worried, since the headmaster was sufficiently distracted.

"Dear Merlin," Talin gasped, observing something over Severus' shoulder that left him both impressed and agog.

Severus turned around, slightly alarmed, only to be startled himself: the horse was flying, in midair with all of Harry's concentration on it. He blinked in shock; what was he going to do? Harry's magic was far more advanced than even he had anticipated. The beach thing had been surprising enough, but this? This was more than just accidental magic! Harry was concentrating on the horse and actually making it do what he wanted. Severus' heart sank; how could he protect Harry and both their lives if the child continued to do things like that successfully? No, all children were different; so what if Harry's magic was a little more advanced? He felt like scoffing at his own words; "a little" was putting it far too lightly.

"Do…does he do this often?" Talin asked, mesmerised; the child had such control of his magic…how was it possible? He'd never met another like him before in his life. He didn't even seem exhausted by his display, nor did he notice them as he continued making the horse move around in a circle. Could it be accidental? Unfortunately not, accidental was sudden, reacting to a child's intense emotions, such as making a vase explode, summoning something to himself, even changing someone's hair colour. This child was consciously making it move, willing it with magic. He was only three years old; that kind of concentration shouldn't be possible. How could Septimus be so surprised about everything he'd said after seeing this?

"No," Severus admitted, unable to think about coming up with a sentence, never mind an actual lie, and a convincing lie at that. His mind was blank; he was now more determined than ever to allow Harry to flourish at this school, instead of being repressed until he was eleven years old. Hell, half the education he'd get here would be the equivalent of seven years at Hogwarts. Not only that, he would be getting the best of both worlds, which meant if he ventured into the Muggle world he would understand things such as sports, their dress sense, and history. The question remaining was: would they be able to teach him, without prejudice getting in the way and favouring him? While Harry was special, he didn't want him becoming big-headed, spoiled; he wanted him to have a normal childhood…it wasn't too much to ask for, now, was it?

"Is this his first bout of magic?" enquired Talin, staring at Septimus shrewdly. He was beginning to see why he'd wanted Harrison to come here.

"No, it is not," Severus admitted, still watching his son, who seemed to have forgotten where he was. He was usually very aware of his surroundings. Harry had probably done accidental magic as a baby, as all of them did, but the sandcastle was the only incident he had witnessed. The fact was, Harry was his son, or at least always had been to Talin; he had to act the part. He'd already slipped up once, and he couldn't afford to do it again. He was beginning to see why Dumbledore had been so adamant about keeping Harry from the magical world. Being fully aware of who he was, accepting what he was, had Harry coming to his own both in personality and power. When he grew up he would be independent, fair, and just, and if he could accomplish all that, it would be a miracle, and his life would finally have been worth something. "I would like an application to the school, if it's not too late."

"Of course not," Talin said; even if it had been, he would have made an exception. Such magic deserved to be harnessed. It was a shame they couldn't just place him with the five-year-olds and start classes. Unfortunately, it wasn't just about magic; it was about social development, making friends, and learning to use a training wand. As he'd told Septimus, the child came first, and he meant that. It would be detrimental to their health if they tried to put children straight into classes; that was why they had the year in "nursery;" then, when they were five and six, just a few practical magic classes. Picking up the application from his desk, he handed it over to preoccupied wizard. If his child was powerful, there would be no doubt this wizard was as well.

"Thank you," Severus said, accepting more paperwork. "If you will excuse us, we have a busy day ahead of us."

"Is there anything I can help with? After all, this is my country," Talin offered, wondering what he was up to.

"Actually, yes, you can, I need to buy a property. It seems as though our visit here will be more permanent than I originally anticipated," Severus admitted.

"Of course; there are two real estate agents nearby," Talin said, glad to see they would remain. It would give him more time to figure them out. He wasn't sure what, but there was something he wasn't getting; his magic had never let him down before, so he always listened to it. "One is magical; the other deals with both." Talin scribbled away on his pad of paper as he spoke.

"Good," Severus said, standing up, causing Harry to look at him automatically. The horse dropped to the floor as he scrambled out of the chair to get beside his daddy. He clutched at his hand, as if he was terrified he would be left here. Lifting him up, he smiled softly at the worried child, soothing him without words. "Are you tired, little one?" he then asked.

Harry nodded, his arms wrapping around Severus' neck. It had been fun in here, but he was more than ready to go home and have a nap.

"Are you staying at a hotel?" Talin asked.

"Indeed," Severus replied, Talin was digging for information now, and he didn't like it. "I thank you for all your help, and for going out of your way to welcome us. I appreciate it. Now we must go; my son is tired, and I'd like to get him down for a nap before dinner."

"No problem, Mr. Regis; I am always happy to help. If you need anything more, please don't hesitate to get in touch," Talin said, adding, "And here, these are the addresses for both real estate agents: WW Real Estate Agency, and of course J&R Brown Real Estate Agency."

"Thank you," Severus said, nodding curtly, before he turned around and headed for the door.

"You can Apparate from here; the wards are only applied when students are within these walls," Talin said, a smile twitching at his lips as tired green eyes gazed at him. That child was adorable and powerful; he could only imagine the heartbreaker he was going to be as a young man. He would be deeply privileged to have the child come to his school; he would definitely be someone who would graduate with honours. He'd seen many people come through his gates during his tenure as Headmaster after his father had stood down, but never one with this much potential.

Severus Apparated from the school straight into his hotel room. Wandering over to the bed, he laid Harry down, not bothering to cover him. It was far too hot; he would just end up sweating through the sheets. He would keep an eye on him just in case, though, since the air conditioning was on. Sitting on the bed beside him, knowing Harry wouldn't sleep if he didn't, Severus said, "Sleep, little one, I'll be right here. I promise I'm not going anywhere." After a few minutes had passed, and Harry's breathing had evened out in sleep, Severus quietly called for Dobby and waited patiently to see if the house elf would respond, or if they were far beyond their calling range. He was beginning to think that was the case, and wondering if they should write home and stay in the hotel until they received the letter when Dobby finally appeared.

"Can Dobby help Master…Regis?" Dobby asked, unsure of what to call him right now.

Severus' lips twitched as he nodded silently to the elf to say he'd done right. "Did you do your task this morning?" Severus enquired.

"Yes, sir," Dobby said solemnly; he would help Sirius Black as long as his Master wanted him to.

"Any difficulties?" Severus asked, stretching his legs from where he sat on the bed.

"No, sir; I got in and out before he woke up," Dobby said, determined that he would do his Master proud and wouldn't break any of the rules he'd set down. Sirius Black wasn't to find out about Severus Snape, Harry Potter, or anything about the fact that they knew he was innocent.

"Good; go back home and tell the others to begin packing; when I call again, I want you all to come. It might not be for a few days, so do not be alarmed," Severus stated. "Harry and I are staying here, is that understood?"

"Dobby understands," the elf said, bowing his head, waiting to see if "Master Regis" had any other orders.

"Very well; go on, your duties continue as they were," Severus said.

Dobby disappeared with a pop, going back home... a home that might not be "home" again for a very long time.

Severus turned to face Harry, who was still asleep and looking peaceful, so different from the little boy he'd first rescued. He would need to make sure the property was similar to the one back in the UK. Harry would ease into this new life better if he had familiarity around him. It was one thing he would have to be sure to demand from the real estate agent. He certainly didn't want a big house; he wasn't ostentatious, and he preferred blending into the background. With just him and elves it certainly wouldn't be a problem, he'd make sure of it.

He wouldn't be surprised if Harry slept in today, after two bouts of magic, one longer than the first. How long had he been levitating that horse in the air before the Headmaster had realized what was going on? Neither he nor the elves made a habit of levitating things. Sure, they did magic, just not that kind. Harry must have seen one of the witches or wizards casting a spell to create the sandcastle for their children and he'd imitated them, which meant he would have to be careful about what spells he used around Harry, at least until the boy learned not to cast whatever he felt like.

Severus brushed his hair back in exasperation; had it just been one day ago he was worried about Harry's not casting magic? That he'd somehow been traumatised by seeing his parents killed? It seemed like such a long time ago. He sighed softly; he really had made the right decision in coming here. At least in less than a year Harry would be in nursery, learning magic, surrounded by people who were like him, and focusing his magic on tasks, even if it was just bubble charms. Frowning, he wondered if he was trying to convince himself it was for the best. Or was he trying to talk himself out of it? Standing up, he moved over to the window, gazing out at the beauty of the country. The heat would take some getting used to; Merlin, he couldn't have imagined this in a million years. Getting on the coach to bring "Harry Potter" to Hogwarts hadn't gone in the direction he had thought it would. Instead it had brought him here, given him and Harry a new chance, a new life, one worth living. A chance to correct past mistakes, not just his own, but everyone else's too. Well, thought Severus, here's to fixing past mistakes.

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><p>Edited by Jake and Jordre thank you :)<p> 


	20. Chapter 20

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 20 **

**A New Home In St. Lucia **

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><p>Severus had gone to the real estate agency after Harry's nap, a hastily eaten dinner, and a bedtime story. He wanted to catch them before they closed, which he succeeded in doing, luckily. The property most similar to their home in Britain was one Severus instantly took a liking to. Of course he was told it was a problem property, and that had Severus curious: Just what exactly could be termed "problem property" in the Magical world that couldn't be fixed? There were the usual household pests: doxies and pixies, both easily dealt with. The agent was most unwilling to tell him, but ever the Slytherin, he'd gotten it out of her in the end. He'd been temporarily stunned to learn that the surrounding property, or rather the most heavily forested land at the back of the property he was considering buying, was home to a pack of Moonwolf cubs... actual Moonwolf cubs.<p>

Now, all the books he'd read stated such an occurrence had only happened twice in history. Moonwolf cubs were the product of two werewolves mating during the full moon, a male and a female of course. The female then literally gave birth to a litter of wolf cubs; they never became human, but always remained in wolf form. The only way they could be distinguished from normal wolves was their near-human intelligence. There was such a pack supposedly living in the Forbidden Forest. Albus had done nothing to stall the rumours, and Severus assumed they were just that: rumours; he'd been in the Forbidden Forest a great many times, gathering ingredients and such, and had never come across anything wolf-like. Admittedly, though, the Forbidden Forest was much too vast for him to say for sure.

The wolf pack would afford him additional protection for Harry, if, that was, they accepted him into their pack. Allowing them to remain undisturbed in their territory might buy him their allegiance. He was, after all, a Slytherin; he always thought ahead, and quite frankly he wanted to protect Harry. Having others on his side would help. Of course such protection wouldn't be needed right now. He doubted he'd ever have much need to protect Harry here in St. Lucia, but better to be safe than sorry, in his experience. Plus he could make a den for them, to allow them to get out of the sun and/or rain if there was ever any here, but considering they had human intelligence, no doubt they'd suspect he was up to something. He could imagine they would be able to sense or smell his emotions.

He had demanded the address from the agent before returning to the hotel; he then left Harry during his nap the next day to visit the property. And that was exactly where he was right now, observing the property from the front. He had no desire for a tour of the house, so he immediately left the agent on her own and made his way through to the back acreage—somewhere, he noticed, that the witch refused to wander; he had to wonder if she was prejudiced or just terrified of the Moonwolves. If anyone had the right to be terrified of them, it was Severus. He had been confronted by a werewolf at the age of sixteen, and the experience had left its scars.

His black eyes zoned in on them, or at the very least on one of them, and he was mesmerised. He'd half expected them to look like werewolves, despite the fact that he knew they were described as beautiful. Beautiful? thought Severus with derision; that was putting it lightly. The wolf he was looking at was pure white; he was tempted to believe it was a Patronus, and would have done so, if not for the small specks of black hairs on the left front paw. Its eyes focused in on his own, and his breath left him. Crisp, electrifying blue eyes that would put any body of water to shame followed his every move, its teeth unconsciously showing a little; it was clearly ready to defend its territory if need be.

"Your territory is safe; I have no desire to encroach upon it, unless there are potion ingredients there," Severus said in a calm, level voice. "When and if I buy this property, you are welcome to stay."

A black wolf joined the white one, this one the first's polar opposite; a small white paw was the only difference in the black one. His eyes were hazel and his snout long, and he glared at the newcomer, as if suspecting his intentions weren't good. The black wolf snorted, sounding very human; regretfully, they obviously couldn't speak.

"All I ask in return is that you defend your territory and my son," Severus concluded, and with this he was being honest.

The white one cocked its head to the side, and honestly, if Harry had been there, he would have been cooing at the…female. It was utterly breathtaking, he had to admit; to a wizard it was obvious what they were, and he decided to take the house and land even if the wolves were against his…one could say…imminent ownership.

They butted heads together, almost as if they were talking amongst themselves. Severus watched them intently, noticing from the corner of his eyes that another was also present. This one was a mixture of white, brown, and black and no less stunning than its brother and sister. A dark brown wolf also made an appearance; just how many were there? Who had given birth to them? Was she even still around? Or had she already died? Could she have been the last owner of the property? They definitely had telepathic abilities, he was almost sure of it; it was as if they were conversing with each other.

Severus remained still, respectful yet alert. He might be many things, but he wasn't stupid; he wasn't about to let his guard down around what looked to be six wolf cubs— although they weren't cubs anymore, not by a long shot. They were fully grown adult wolves ... or so he thought. They had piqued his curiosity now; how long did they live? Longer than a normal wolf, factoring in their diet, location, weather, and other things? Human or animal, they respected power, unless they were like Muggles; then they would fear it. Harry was a powerful little boy, but it shouldn't have surprised him really, given what he knew. He knew it well enough; he'd been having nightmares about it and Dumbledore.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches, born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies." He knew the words well, even without the nightmares. It had been those words that had sent the Dark Lord…no, Voldemort… down his path to seek out newborn children and kill them. Lily—dear Merlin, what would Harry think of him when he found out? And it was "when;" he couldn't keep the truth from him. Quite frankly, he'd rather be the one that told Harry, instead of having the boy first hearing a distorted or evil vision from someone else, especially if Dumbledore somehow figured all this out. It was kind of terrifying to think that Harry had enough magic to be able to defeat Voldemort. Albus had made it perfectly clear that Voldemort hadn't been truly defeated; it was why he'd never left Hogwarts, really. In turn he'd wasted so much of his life; this truly was a second chance, and he wasn't about to waste it. Although he dreaded the Dark Mark's appearing, or rather reappearing; it meant he would need to wear long-sleeved shirts while he was here. That would draw some weird looks, especially if the weather was always like this.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he went back to staring at the wolves, wondering what the verdict would be. He was rather hoping to get their approval; otherwise living here could be intolerable. The house and its layout were very similar to the one in the UK, and that would help Harry. There were only a few differences: this property had a large treehouse to the side and a stable with stalls for three horses, and to the other side of the house there was a large metal hut, which was, as of right now, empty― he didn't know what it had been used for before.

The black wolf, which was male, Severus idly noticed, trotted over, the very vision of a proud animal. He must be the alpha of this particular pack... He stood only one foot from Severus before going down on its haunches for only a second before running off, the rest of his pack followed him until Severus could see nothing but the forest surrounding him. There wasn't much of a forest, to be honest, so he was surprised he couldn't see them. Severus breathed out a soft sigh in relief; he'd been accepted, and they had found him worthy, which was surprising in itself. Relaxing now, he wandered around the rest of the property to get a good feel for it. This house had a downstairs toilet with a bath, separate shower, and bidet; a living room, study, kitchen (with a wood-burning stove), and utility room; most impressing of all, it had French doors leading to an indoor patio and a swimming pool. He would be keeping this door closed; he didn't want anything happening to Harry. Walking through yet another set of French doors, he found another patio and a garden. There was even a barbecue at the side; whoever had owned the house before this had clearly liked spending time outside, probably having parties, something he certainly didn't do. The basement was quite large, with two separate cupboards, which would be fantastic for him; he could just see all his equipment set up. The best thing of all was that it was his to design to his exact specifications, since right now it was basically empty, bar the cupboards, of course. It had air conditioning as well, a perfect getaway from the heat.

Once he'd looked everything over, he decided quite rightfully that the price was perfect; he loved the place. The property was pretty secluded, but had neighbours within walking distance on both sides, he noticed as he walked back outside. He nodded firmly; he didn't want a big fuss. This suited his needs, so he would take it; it didn't matter if there was another property out there that might be better.

"What did you think?" the real estate agent asked, emerging from the house, looking relieved it was over. The wolves had lost her many prospective clients over the years; it had been on the market since before she took the job. It had landed in her lap, and it was just a place she'd been unable to sell.

"Who last owned the property?" Severus asked, facing her and revealing nothing.

"A women called Sylvia Hofstadter," she replied, her face wary and tense. There was no reason not to give out that information, since it was on the paperwork the wizard would receive.

"And is she responsible for the wolf cubs?" Severus asked.

"We've assumed so," the real estate agent admitted, her tone revealing her doubt.

"I'll take it," Severus said, smirking in amusement at the shock that bloomed in her brown eyes.

"Are you sure?" she asked befuddled.

"Sometime today," Severus replied, deliberately vague. He'd left Harry with Dobby, and he wasn't sure how long the boy would sleep; it varied from day to day.

"Of course. Grab onto the Portkey; it will take us back to my office," she said, handing over the small card that acted as the semi-permanent Portkey. If Mr. Septimus Regis was buying the property, he would be getting the Portkey to do with as he wished; use it, burn it... it was of no concern of hers afterwards.

Severus refrained from rolling his eyes as he grabbed it, wondering briefly if he should have called the house elves to begin the preparations for making their new home comfortable. He wondered what Harry would think of the place, and what he would think when he realized they were staying here. He would need to explain it to Harry, but judging by the fact he'd enjoyed himself at the beach yesterday, he would be fine.

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><p>Severus had the paperwork signed and the money transferred from his vault immediately. He thought about selling the house back in the UK, but decided against it, in case they went back. It was more than likely they would eventually; he couldn't allow the others to grieve for Harry any more than they already would have at that point in time. Whether they stayed, though, was another thing altogether.<p>

Once he'd finished, he Apparated back to the hotel to find Harry awake, and the green eyes, glimmering with tears, looked at him accusatorily. Breathing deeply, he centered himself before moving to sit next to Harry; the child would have to get used to being without him. In less than a year he would be going to nursery... oh, that wasn't going to be easy at all; he wasn't looking forward to it in the slightest. Severus grunted as the small body flung itself at him, and like an octopus wrapped himself tightly around his dad, almost choking him.

"Harry…why do you get so worried when I leave?" Severus questioned, knowing the answer—or at least he assumed he did—but he just wanted Harry to talk it out with him. He wanted to be able to reassure him; he was in no way prepared for the answer.

"Mummy, daddy, Remy, Petey, and Padfoot all left; I don't want you to go to heaven too," said Harry, tightening his hold― he loved his daddy very much. He remembered his other family, barely, although the more days that went by, the hazier the memories became.

Severus paled drastically, making his skin look almost translucent as he swallowed the bile back. Of all the answers he'd run through in his mind, this wasn't anywhere on the list. He'd assumed Harry didn't like being alone, mostly because of the fact he'd been kept in a cupboard for over six months with only the disgusting Dursleys for company, and during that time they obviously had hurt him, or at least handled him harshly enough to leave bruises. Then there was the thought that maybe Harry didn't like being alone for fear of actually ending up back at the Dursleys. Either suggestion had the same inevitable outcome, ending up at the Dursleys again.

"Harry, you must understand you cannot be beside me every minute of every day. You have to get used to having fun when I am not with you. You will be going to nursery to make friends, and even learn some magic, and I cannot be there with you," Severus said soothingly, his heart still aching for his son. "But you have my promise I will always return to you, no matter what. I always keep my promises, Harry; I always come back when I go away, do I not?"

"Yes," Harry nodded, still clutching his daddy close. Nursery? What was that and why did he have to go there? He didn't want his daddy to leave.

"I'll always bring you home," Severus swore, and it was a promise he would always keep as long as he was able. He decided against telling Harry about Pettigrew, Black, and Lupin for now. There was no point in telling him about them, especially considering they couldn't be part of his life. Not that he wanted Pettigrew to be near Harry; if he ever got his hands on the disgusting thing he would kill him and feed him to the wolves outside his new home.

"Why do I have to go to nursery?" Harry asked, sounding a little petulant.

Severus' lips twitched, "All little boys and girls go to nursery. Your mummy and I went when we were young; you will have fun, I promise," Severus said, even though it would not be to the same nursery, not that he could remember, anyway.

"Can Dobby do anything for Master Regis?" Dobby asked from where he was sitting at the edge of the bed. Harry didn't like it when his daddy left, and Dobby didn't know what to do when his little master got like this, other than wait on pins and needles until Severus returned, relieved beyond belief when he did. Crying or angry children they could deal with, but not ones bordering on catatonic.

"This is the address of the new house; a word of advice: do not go outside. There is a pack of wolf cubs outside, let them get used to you before approaching their territory," Severus said; nobody was going to get outside at them. He'd called on Dobby, but the others had come as well, just as he'd ordered. He'd had to send them home for now, until he actually had a property bought. Severus added, "Have the others help you and get settled in," just in case Dobby ended up doing it all himself. Honestly, he had to give such precise orders; otherwise they would assume the worst.

"Dobby understands," the elf said before he disappeared with the piece of paper.

"Do you like it here, Harry?" Severus asked while sitting Harry back on the bed, grateful for the ability to breathe once more.

Harry nodded his head, gazing at his daddy earnestly.

"Would you like to stay here? Where it's warm?" Severus enquired.

"With you?" Harry asked, his eyes going wide with fear.

"Yes," Severus replied firmly without pause.

"I'd like that," Harry said honestly.

"I'm glad to hear that. I bought a nice house similar to our old one. All our things have been brought over and will be set up by tonight. While the house elves are busy doing that, I thought about going to the beach again. I can see you like that idea," Severus said, smiling slightly; Harry's green eyes had twinkled so brightly at the mere mention of the beach. He was glad Harry wasn't upset about the move, or he would have abandoned the plans, even if it meant he wouldn't be able to attend Grande Riviere Magical School. Harry's happiness came before even his education, the stupid prophecy or his magic be damned; he wanted Harry to experience a normal childhood, as had Lily, according to her letter.

"Are the elfs staying too?" Harry asked.

"Of course," Severus said. It seemed as though Harry was also growing attached to them, which meant he wouldn't treat them horribly or take them for granted: good.

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><p>Edited by Jake and Jordre thank you :)<p> 


	21. Chapter 21

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 21 **

**Introduced to the Wolf cub pack **

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><p>Harry had enjoyed himself at the beach, but unfortunately all goods things came to an end. It was beginning to get late, and the weather was cooling down somewhat. It was time for them to go to their new home, whether it was ready or not. They could have gone back to the hotel to stay the last night there, and would do that if the beds weren't set up. Once Harry was asleep, Severus would have a busy night ahead of him. He certainly wouldn't relax until the whole area was warded; at least his last home had had everything warded already, and by the goblins, no less, which actually made the protections stronger, since goblin magic was different from wizarding magicks. With Harry held firmly in his grip, he Apparated them to the same spot he had gone to earlier that very same day.<p>

Harry looked around from where he sat on his daddy's hip; he was right, it did look like their home back… home. This was their new home now, with his daddy, in the warmth, where he'd never be cold again, like he had with the horrible people who had kept him in the dark dusty place. He buried his face in the crook of his daddy's neck as his stomach grumbled; it didn't get a chance to do that often…not with his daddy.

"Hungry, little one?" Severus murmured; perhaps it was best to go to the hotel, get some food, and then come back. After the day he'd had, no doubt Harry was exhausted.

"Yes, daddy," Harry replied just as softly.

"It won't be long," Severus said firmly, he always made sure Harry had more than enough to eat. He didn't know what it was like to go hungry the way Harry had, but more often than not, the Snape family's meals had been…lacking, especially in nutritious food. It was just sheer happenstance that he'd grown so tall, like every other male in the Prince family. So now there was always food to go around; not junk food, but fruit and vegetables, which Harry seemed to like... thankfully.

"Okay," Harry said, remembering to say it right... just like his daddy. He wondered what he'd get today; the burger yesterday had been so tasty! And lovely. He'd gotten sauce all down his front in his excitement; he had worried his daddy would be mad. He hadn't been, though; he'd just flicked his wand and made the mess disappear. He loved magic; it was so much fun! And it made his daddy proud of him, which Harry loved most of all.

"Do you remember what we spoke about?" Severus asked, walking through the front door and in through the side door where the swimming pool was. Three doors for one room; it was at the height of ridiculousness, but he was definitely keeping them closed and sealed to prevent any accidents from happening. "The Wolf Cubs?" he added so Harry could understand what he meant.

Harry nodded vigorously; they'd spoken about the animals while on the beach, and he already knew about wolves from the games he played with his daddy. He had learned lots of new information last night, about people turning into wolves and how they were different from something called Animagi who chose to turn into an animal. His daddy hadn't explained where the wolf cubs came from, if they weren't people turning into werewolves or Animagi. When he'd asked, his daddy had gotten a funny look on his face, and given him Sickles to get an ice cream. That had been the end of that conversation, as he devoured his mint ice cream cone, which wasn't as good as his toffee one had been.

"A pack of wolves live behind here in the trees," Severus said, staring out past the back garden and letting Harry see for himself.

"Where?" Harry asked, his green eyes eagerly searching for anything moving. He wanted to see them for himself.

"They live inside the trees," Severus said, his lips twitching at Harry's green eyes being so wide and twinkling, just as Lily's had when learning new information.

"Inside?" Harry echoed, cocking his head to the side. "How?" How could animals live inside trees?

"Not inside them," Severus replied, inwardly groaning; he was being taken too literally. "Beyond them, far into the forest is where they have their home."

"Will they come out?" Harry asked, his voice full of hope.

"I'm sure they will, at some point," Severus said, scanning the woodline for any sign of them, but he too failed in finding anything. The forest was quite large, nowhere near the Forbidden Forest in size, but big enough for, say, Harry to become lost in. Not that it would happen; hopefully the Moonwolves would help him. Not that Harry would be going in there; he'd make that clear to his son one way or another. What kind of potion ingredients waited to be found in there? Regretfully that would have to wait until they settled in and the Wolves became accustomed to their presence and wouldn't act skittish or defensive because of their being there. Wolves were territorial animals by nature; human intelligence or not, they went by their instincts.

The kitchen, he noted, was fully unpacked. The Elves had been busy indeed, but with magic it didn't take long at all. The biscuit jar was within reach; Severus opened it up and held it towards Harry, letting him choose one. "Go on then, just one; your dinner will be ready soon," Severus said; the little hand dipped into the jar before beginning to munch on the digestive biscuit.

"Look! Wolfie!" Harry suddenly exclaimed, his green eyes lighting up as he looked at the Wolf, greedily drinking up the sight of it. "Pretty!" he breathed in awe.

"She is indeed," Severus said, his lips twitching in amusement.

"Can I go pet her?" Harry begged, turning his puppy dog eyes on his daddy, unaware that those eyes could make his dad give in completely.

"She is a wild animal; they don't take well to people," Severus warned. "They aren't used to us, that's all." He was trying to explain it to the three-year-old in a way he would understand.

"I want to see closer!" Harry declared. "Please?" he added, remembering his manners.

"Only for a moment," Severus said in warning, in his own way telling Harry he was very serious, and that no amount of begging would change his mind. He wasn't going to risk Harry for anything, especially not against animals that could rip him to pieces in a matter of seconds. He hadn't risked his life coming back in time to fail now; no, Harry would have a long and prosperous life. Sliding the back door open, inwardly he contemplated getting a proper back door, one made of sturdy wood that couldn't be smashed. Not that a bugler could get within sighting distance of the house because of the wards... or rather, one wouldn't be able to, once he got the wards up.

"YAY!" Harry cried, over the moon as he was placed on his feet, and led outside. This garden was much bigger than the last one.

The white wolf was still there; it seemed to be sniffing at the air, looking for what, they didn't know. Perhaps for Harry and his scent to memorise. The black male approached, looking puzzled, and Severus was quite frankly alarmed by that. Grabbing onto Harry's shoulders, he prevented him from going even a step further. The others were approaching now, and Severus could see that there were seven wolf cubs in total. Three white, two black, one varicoloured, and the brown one.

The black wolf turned to his sister; the little human, possibly the one they'd been asked to protect, was already claimed by another. The claim was weak, fragmented, perhaps because the wolf was dead. Or because he wasn't around; either way, someone had claimed this little human as its cub. They didn't normally talk to humans; the only one they'd spoken to was the one that had raised them. Yet they wanted to ask why he'd wanted them to care for the little human, protect him, when he already had a wolf protector. Slinking forward, he watched the human become tense, alert, drawing his wand but not raising it; he was merely being cautious, smart. The wolves were known for their intelligence, pride, and caution, after all. The big human would have made a good wolf, that was for sure.

Once he was close enough, and the human met his eyes, he spoke to him, breaking one of their rules in the process, a rule he himself had made to protect them. Ironically enough, it was one all Moonwolf Cubs came up with, since wizards did not know of their abilities. "Your human cub has already been claimed," the black wolf said, speaking directly into Severus' mind.

Severus pursed his lips, "human cub"? Well that was new but what else could he expect― this was a wolf he was speaking to; all young were cubs to them. No doubt they could smell that he wasn't Harry's biological father; he idly wondered what they thought of that. Wolf packs only protected their own, they rarely took stragglers in— unless, of course, that only applied to normal Muggle-world wolves. Claimed? How could Harry have already been claimed? Oh fuck, thought Severus to himself, of course; how could he have forgotten that conversation? 'But you did, at the time; I couldn't be part of my cub's life because you and James feared I was a Death Eater' had been said by Remus Lupin. Merlin, it rang through his head as if it had happened only last night. Considering how drunk he had been at the time, even though the alcohol had been watered down, it was a miracle he recalled it at all; he'd still been tipsy by the time the wills had come through the Floo.

"Yes, yes he has, is that going to be a problem?" Severus enquired out loud, causing Harry's eyebrows to scrunch as he gazed at his daddy as if he was nuts. Why was he talking to himself? It didn't make any sense.

"He's not Alpha," said the black wolf in reply, still sniffing the human cub.

Severus snorted at the prospect of Remus Lupin being an Alpha; he was an Omega, a coward; he did what he was told, constantly. He truly loved Harry, though; that couldn't be denied. He had been devastated by his loss; Black was probably the only reason the werewolf had been standing. He doubted he'd ever like the pair of them, but sooner or later…they would be part of Harry's life. As he'd said earlier, he couldn't let them grieve for Harry, thinking he was dead. It was the biggest sin anyone could commit, but it wasn't about him, even if he was now Harry's adopted father. It was official, thanks to the goblins, but they were keeping the paperwork well hidden due to the time-travel business. On the paperwork he had, Harry was Harrison Regis, his son by birth; he would have to go to Gringotts and get it corrected when he was eleven. At least Harry knew; that was the main thing in all this, otherwise he wouldn't want to contemplate the betrayal the boy would feel.

"He is not like you; he's like your…father, he turns into the wolf only on the full moon," Severus awkwardly said, wondering if they could possibly understand what he was saying.

The wolf snorted his understanding, before moving closer to the human cub, then licking at his bare hand; his scent, wolf-scent, was now on him, making him once again claimed, by his pack, and as alpha his claim would have more meaning than this…human moon wolf's.

Harry squealed, his hand automatically going out to pet at the wolf, gasping in awe at the softness of the fur. It was so thick and soft, his entire hand disappeared into it, and the wolf was warm. Looking at his biscuit, he handed it over, waiting to see if the wolf would like it. He'd seen doggies on TV, and this wolf looked a little like them. The dogs ate biscuits, would the wolf like one? For a wild animal, the wolf certainly took it with care from the little boy. Giving him one last lick, the black wolf bound away to the rest of his pack.

"He took it!" Harry exclaimed in excitement. "Can we get more? Please!"

"Not right now," Severus said, breathing a sigh of relief. They'd accepted Harry and him; it was a weight off.

"Dobby?" Severus called after a few seconds of silence as they gazed at the wolf pack disappearing into the trees. Well, that was the worst of it over; now all that was left was for Harry to have dinner, then play for an hour or so before going to bed. Then he'd have free rein, but instead of potion-brewing, he would need to work on the wards.

"Yes sir?" Dobby answered with just a few seconds' wait.

"What's the status?" Severus asked.

"Nearly everything is unpacked sir, except for the potions laboratory," Dobby told his master. "Heather is making dinner, sir. It will be ready in fifteen minutes."

"Thank you, Dobby; take a rest and leave the lab until tomorrow; settle yourselves in for tonight," Severus replied firmly, knowing they wouldn't listen if he wasn't firm with them.

"Yes, Master Regis," Dobby said, bowing low before popping away.

Severus narrowed his eyes before cautiously looking around; Dobby didn't usually use that name unless they were surrounded by people. Then he saw her, a neighbour by the looks of things, with a batch of cookies in her hand, staring wide-eyed, evidently having seen them interacting with the wolves.

Severus observed that the woman was extremely tall, either coloured or extremely tanned; in this weather it would be impossible to pinpoint for sure. He'd bet she was as tall as he, maybe an inch or two taller. Her hair was long and braided all the way down her back, with beads at the bottom. She was wearing a long flowing brown-and-white patterned dress, with a pair of sandals. She was quite young, younger than he at any rate…at least in his mind. Outwardly she obviously did appear older than he, which did bother him to some extent. He was glad he wasn't a people's person, since having people talking down to him would have brought out his sharp tongue within seconds.

"Sorry if I startled you; I just wanted to welcome you to the neighbourhood; it's been a while since anyone lived here," she said, her accent noticeable.

Him, startled? She was the one who had been staring wide-eyed a few seconds ago, but he elected not to mention it ― best not to antagonise the neighbours; after all, who knew how long he'd be living here? After tonight they wouldn't be able to get onto his property, so it wasn't a big deal. Word must get around quickly; she wasn't even asking if he understood her, which pointed to the fact she'd been speaking to the estate agent.

"Indeed?" Severus intoned, watching her walk towards him as if he'd invited her in. Neighbours! Why did they think they had the Merlin-given right to trespass on other peoples' properties? He'd had more privacy in Spinner's End, where all the houses were attached and clustered together, with more people that she had probably ever met!

"Your brother?" she asked, smiling at them both.

Instead of choking her as he was sorely tempted to, Severus began to reply, but his son quite literally beat him to it. He had to withhold a laugh at the look on her face; it truly was amusing, but from what he'd learned about the island, they usually didn't marry young or, heaven forbid, have children so young.

"He's my daddy, silly!" Harry said, giving her an odd look. What was a brother? He looked up at his daddy, but he wasn't looking down at him, so he turned back to the strange lady. She had the oddest looking hair he'd ever seen; the urge to put his hand out and stroke it was strong. Would it feel like his? Or different?

"Oh," she said, feeling very foolish. "My apologies, I didn't mean to offend; I just wanted to welcome you to the neighbourhood and invite you to join us for a barbeque on Saturday. There will be many children your son's age. Give him time to adjust before school begins. Oh, before I forget again, my name is Abayomi Balewa, but people call me Abi." She handed over the large platter of cookies, which had an invitation wedged inside of it.

"It is very nice to meet you, Abayomi Balewa, my name is Se-Septimus Regis, and my son is Harrison; it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Severus said shaking her hand, his other hand holding onto the platter of baked cookies. It seemed as though she also knew his son's age; that was disturbing really.

"Oh, my," Abi said, greatly taken aback by his manner of speaking; you didn't meet many in the younger generation that spoke this way. It reminded her of her father and grandfather, who were sadly no longer in this world. Shaking her head, she got a hold of herself. "I hope to see you there, and I'll leave you to settle in."

"Thank you," Severus said, relived beyond belief that the conversation was over.

"It was nice to meet you too, little one," Abi said, staring down at the adorable child.

"Hi," Harry said, smiling shyly but stepping behind his dad.

Abi smiled softly once again before heading away; she knew how stressful moving could be. The child was absolutely adorable; hopefully he would get on with her own kids. It would be hard for the child for the first few months, with the weather change, the life changes, and new children to contend with. Plus school would begin soon, if she was right about his age anyway. She was guessing he was around three to four years of age, judging by his height; he was the same height as her four-year-old son.

"What's a brother, daddy?" Harry asked, his wide, innocent eyes looking beseechingly at his dad.

Severus froze; oh hell, he'd just gotten himself out of the one with the wolf cubs, now this! Damn it.

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><p>Big thanks to Jake and Jordre for editing this :)<p> 


	22. Chapter 22

**Fixing Past Mistakes **

**Chapter 22 **

**Concerns Arise And Abated**

* * *

><p>Severus relaxed in the quiet and calmness of his lab, his fingers and hands automatically crunching, slicing, dicing, and mixing the ingredients into the cauldron without even needing to think much. Brewing potions was second nature to him; he could do it in his sleep. Slowly but surely, he was getting Harry used to not being around him every second he was awake. At first he would only leave for a few minutes, but as the days went by, he was increasing the time spent apart. So far it was only ten minutes, but there was still time to add to it. Right now Harry was sleeping; it had been well past his bedtime when he'd finally gone down. It was obvious to Severus that it was time to cut out Harry's nap altogether, especially if it was keeping him up until ten o'clock at night. At first he'd put it down to jet lag and the time difference. That wasn't an excuse that could be used any longer, after the first two days in their new country. Thanks to sleeping potions, it had been a smooth transition. They had now been here for three weeks; March had come and gone, and April was here in all its glory. Although it wasn't the kind of April he was used to.<p>

A pop interrupted his seclusion, but Severus continued working until he finished the current stage— the last stage, in fact. The house elf remained silent, waiting for him to acknowledge him. They knew how important and delicate the potions were, and knew never to interrupt him during the process.

"Everything alright, Dobby?" Severus asked, looking up and giving the elf his undivided attention after taking the potion off the boil.

"Master Severus, there is someone at the door for you; he says his name is Talin Adison," Dobby said, knowing very well the potions lab was soundproof; nothing could be heard from outside... or from the inside out. Just in case any explosions happened, he didn't want Harry to hear anything, although there was an alert system up; if anyone got hurt, the elves would be alerted immediately. It was a very nifty system their master had placed around the lab, and they were in awe of his genius use of magic. "The Headmaster of Grande Riviere magical school."

"Invite him to the living room, make some refreshments and put them on the table; let him know I'll be there shortly," Severus said, removing his apron as Dobby disappeared. Quickly placing it on its hook, he began to wipe down the brand-new counters and placing the trash in the bin beside him. The lab here was very different than those he'd been used to, mostly because he had designed it and its layout himself. All the others he'd worked ―and practically lived― in had all been designed probably years earlier. Everything in this lab was practically brand-new, and he was insufferably smug about it. Well, the equipment was admittedly a good few months old, but well-made potion equipment? For any potions master, and especially for him, those things lasted years, even the cauldrons, despite the fire constantly burning on the bottom of them.

Severus gave the potion one last look-over before nodding; it would cool down and be in perfect condition for him to bottle later. At least he hadn't been interrupted halfway through, that was something, but it was a bit late to be coming to someone's house. Most people with a child would have been sleeping by this point. Not him, though; he was used to late nights and early starts. This was the only time he really got to brew potions, not that he minded. Harry was…worth any sacrifice he had to make, not that it was one.

"Mr. Adison, I must say this is a surprise," Severus said, staring at the Headmaster. He found himself caught between curiosity and caution. Taking a seat, he ensured it was directly across from his visitor, keeping him within sight at all times. A platter filled with pots of hot beverages and plates of biscuits was put down, then Dobby left without saying a word.

"Please, call me Talin," the Headmaster said, raising his hand, not wanting the occasion to be so official. "I apologize for disturbing you at your home, without your prior consent; it will not happen again," he added, acknowledging that it was quite late.

"Of course," Severus replied, conceding to the Headmaster's demands of calling him by his given name. He said nothing about the apology, for he was still wondering why Talin had appeared on his doorstep so late. It was nearly ten thirty at night; whatever the reason was— it evidently couldn't be good. He tried not to jump to conclusions, but it was difficult not to; he was a spy, and he did assume the worst constantly.

"May I be frank, Mr. Regis?" Talin asked, sitting forward in his seat, his eyes shadowed with concern.

"Please, by all means; I prefer it," Severus responded firmly, adding, "Coffee or tea?"

"Um…coffee please; black," Talin requested, his smile slightly strained. Despite his age, he acted very maturely, and it was very rare to find such manners in the younger generations. If Severus had to bet, he'd say Talin's parents had had him when they were older, if his pleasantness was anything to go on.

Severus poured them both a drink and handed Talin his cup, saying to him, "Help yourself," while gesturing towards the little treats on the plate.

"Thank you," Talin said, accepting the cup but not taking any of the biscuits.

"So?" Severus asked, becoming serious now that the pleasantries were over with.

"I read the application for Harrison's entry to the school. What concerns me is the fact you wrote down that he may suffer from separation anxiety and may become scared when loud voices occur? A few other things concern me as well. I know it's very personal to ask…but we need to know everything so we can take the best care of Harrison when he is with us," Talin cautiously explained. "When we previously spoke, nothing of this was mentioned. What happened to Harrison?" It was obviously something traumatising.

Severus leaned back in the chair; he realised that he should have expected something like this might occur, but he hadn't. Truthfully, he didn't know how to answer Talin's questions; then again, Harry Potter wasn't the only child to be abused in the world. He would never figure it out, so perhaps a variation of the truth would be best. It was true though, they did need all the information they could get to help Harry.

"I did not always have custody of my son," Severus lied, staring Talin straight in the eye. "In fact, I did not know he was my son; I found out about him after his mother and a man who was raising Harrison as his own had died, thanks to a mutual friend of ours. By then his mother had been dead for over a year and six months, and he'd been in the care of her relatives since the tragedy occurred. Naturally, when I found out I wanted to see my son; they refused to let me near, and I never saw him outside the house. I grew suspicious and called the police; they didn't find any evidence of another child living there save for their own son. I knew he had to be there; otherwise why would they have gotten so defensive and refuse to let me into their home?"

"Where was he?" Talin asked, extremely puzzled now; surely the police scoured every inch of that home, how could they have missed him? It was obvious he hadn't died ―Talin shuddered at the thought― so he had been somewhere. His mind came up with all manner of gruesome thoughts; from the statement about getting the police involved, the relatives were Muggles and obviously couldn't have concealed Harrison's existence magically.

"They had kept him in a cupboard under the stairs," Severus said, his face a mask of fury that in no way had to be faked. He'd never really been able to express the rage he felt that they'd kept a child in a cupboard; he'd been too intent on just getting Harry out of there without anyone the wiser. "He was half-starved, on his way to full-blown rickets; bruised and hurt as if they'd purposely been dropping him. I do not think he'd been out that cupboard since his mother died. Before I got custody of him, he was behind his age group in social development, magically, physically, and mentally, and to this day he cannot sleep without a night-light. If I leave for any extended length of time, he panics; he's terrified that something will happen to me like it did his mother and first father. This is how I chose to explain it to him, that the man raising him up to that point was his first father, to avoid confusion on his part." He had to tell him this part, since Harry would talk given time, and he would mention Lily and James. He wasn't under any circumstances going to make Harry have to keep secrets. That was no life, living in secrecy, unable to say what you liked and such. It had made him overly cautious, and it wasn't the sort of life he wanted for Harry.

"I see," Talin said, swallowing thickly. He'd never suspected Septimus of abusing Harrison; you could see the child adored his father. He'd seen it in his eyes, and the way he always watched him to make sure he was still there. You didn't look at a parent that way if they hurt you. It explained a lot, and it was going to be easier to explain to the teachers who would be watching him for the next year. "How has his recovery been so far?"

"His weight and height are perfect for a child his age; in fact he's actually taller than a few children at that age. I've made sure to play with quite a few educational toys with him, to help him along in his ability to understand everything around him. I've been using magic a lot around him, to get him used to and comfortable with it," Severus smoothly answered, finding it refreshing being able to talk to an adult for a change. "He is adapting very well, and I am proud of him, it's just difficult for him. When I am not around he worries. I worry as well, but he has to get used to it, learn that I will always be there for him."

"All children are the same; the first few months of school are difficult for them, especially for only children who aren't exactly used to playing with other children without their parents around," Talin said, nodding in understanding, "It will obviously be more difficult for Harrison to begin with."

"Of that, regretfully, I have no doubt," Severus agreed, his eyes shadowed with worry.

"Was Harrison's mother a non-magical?" Talin enquired.

"Why?" Severus asked in his turn; were they prejudiced? He didn't want that for Harry, Hogwarts was exactly the same.

"Most magical children who are extremely powerful tend to have non-magical relations, whether it's a mother, father, or grandparents…the new blood seems to bring out a most uniquely talented child," Talin explained. "One of my Charms teachers, Samuel Hays, has written extensively on the topic."

"I have also noticed that trend," Severus admitted, and how could he not have noticed that? He was better than the average wizard, and his own father had been a Muggle. Tom Riddle's father had been the same, and he was the most powerful Dark wizard that magical Britain had ever seen. Harry would go on to surpass them all; he would ensure that. Last, but unfortunately by no means least, there was Dumbledore, who had a Muggle grandparent on his mother's side... Or was it the father's side? He'd done research on it while in Hogwarts, but hadn't really thought much of it, really, to remember now.

"It is unmistakable, when we think about it," Talin conceded.

"His mother was the magical one in a Muggle family," Severus admitted, deciding it couldn't hurt to share that little tidbit. After all, he had stated earlier he'd gotten the police involved, so that meant Muggles at the end of the day. "My son was abused by his mother's sister and husband."

"I assume they have been put in prison for their deplorable actions?" Talin said, angry on an innocent child's behalf.

"Indeed," Severus acknowledged, his eyes glittering malevolently. They would pay for their actions; he felt no guilt for the fact they were being accused of the murder of a golem. The point was that they had ignored what they thought was an actual child, abused and neglected an innocent child; in his opinion they had gotten everything they deserved.

"Good," Talin growled vindictively, drinking the last of his coffee down. "Thank you for taking the time to talk to me; I appreciate it. I will, of course, speak to Harrison's teachers, let them know what to expect."

"Thank you," Severus said curtly.

"May I ask why you didn't sign the form to allow us to give Harrison potions if the need occurs? I promise you that they are up to the highest standards; one of America's best Potions Masters brews our supplies for the year," Talin enquired, knowing he was being nosy now, but unable to help himself.

"I prefer to be the one he receives potions from," Severus said, his voice serious. He meant that; he didn't trust anyone else, not even a fellow Potions Master. He wanted to know what Harry got and when he was given it; to do that, he had to be the one administering them. No, Harry would get only the best, and it would be from him, always.

"Of course," Talin said, nodding in understanding. It was little wonder Regis didn't trust anyone, having been kept from his own child for three years. Then to find out your child had been abused by his family... Yes, he understood the young man better now. He just wished Harrison's life hadn't gotten off to such a bad start; it stayed with them well into adulthood, even if only subconsciously. "Oh, and tell Harrison Happy Birthday when the time comes." Harrison would start school after his birthday, so he wouldn't get a chance to wish him a happy birthday himself.

Or so he thought.

* * *

><p><strong>Two Weeks Later <strong>

Severus had raised an eyebrow at seeing the Headmaster of a school invited to a barbeque. After the fact that his personal business had become known, he'd deduced that this was a close-knit community, and this just cemented that observation. It seemed Talin was a family man; his wife and three children had come with him. Sighing softly, for a moment he couldn't help wondering why he'd gone through with this. Oh, he knew why; his eyes sought out his son, who was having fun playing in the toddlers' paddling pool with the other children. He was a little hesitant and preferred playing with the children smaller than he, Severus noticed. Every five or six minutes, Harry would look for him before going back to having fun. He did notice, as the day wore on, that it would happen less and less frequently, and he took that as a very good sign. He was still counting down the minutes to when he could leave, regardless. It might only be next door, but to him it felt miles away.

"You look as though you are expecting an attack any second," Talin commented, moving forward towards Septimus to hand him a cold beer, a wry grin on his face. "At your age you should be enjoying yourself, with school and higher education finished with."

"Thanks," Severus said loudly, so he could be heard over the loud music, holding his beer up in a "cheers" sort of way before taking the top off and drinking. "I was home-schooled, and immediately after that, I began my apprenticeship to gain my Mastery in Potions. Not to forget my duties… I've never really had the opportunity to let my hair down, so to speak." If he was being completely honest, his entire life had been about his duty; he had no experience at these sorts of things. He'd been an awkward child, teenager, and adult…now here in St. Lucia, he was an awkward parent.

"Only child?" Talin asked knowingly.

Severus snorted, "Yes, thank Merlin for that." They'd screwed him up enough, without another kid added to the equation. It would have been nice to have someone who understood him growing up, but not at the expense of another bitter, twisted life. Not everyone was capable of receiving a second chance, but he was; for the first time in his life he'd had something good happen to him. He no longer had to fear for his life, stepping outside Hogwarts. "What is your fascination with that? You have brought it up each time I've been in your company." Unknowingly he was relaxing; his sharp eyes, though, kept a keen gaze on Harry.

"That's an unusual statement; most only children deeply desire a sibling," Talin reflected, bemused, as he finished the rest of his beer. He never really answered Septimus' question; he didn't have an answer for it; it was mere coincidence really.

"You didn't know my parents," Severus retorted wryly.

"That bad?" Talin asked, saddened. His own parents had been the best; he'd put duty above all else as well, so he understood him. There had been a time when he'd rebelled, of course; he hadn't wanted to run a school when he was eighteen years old. Later, with his wife's help, he'd run the school, looked after his elderly parents, and tried to raise his kids. Then his parents had passed away, Merlin rest their souls, and each day he continued to make them proud. Along the way, somehow, someway, he'd grown genuinely proud of the school, its accomplishments, and his own. It was such a long time ago... he didn't normally dwell on the past very often.

"Worse," Severus gravely replied. "It's something I never wanted for a child of mine." Harry might not be his biologically (at least yet), but he was still his son. He had created a potion that would give someone a third, or fourth, strand of DNA, making them biologically the child of three or even four parents. Once it was ingested, though, there would be no way to tell who the actual biological parents were. Obviously it had its drawbacks, but didn't all potions? He'd passed it on to St. Mungo's experimental lab, three weeks ago, using Dobby to pass it along, since he was going to Azkaban anyway, to give his usual to Black. He had also informed them that he was out of the country and one of his house elves would be by to pick the results up. He was hopeful that it would do as expected, but unfortunately he knew it would probably need to be tweaked a few times before it was perfected.

"Is Harrison allergic to anything?" Abi asked, carrying a platter of different assortments of cakes. Today wasn't just a barbeque, but also her son's birthday.

"Where do you want these, Abayomi?" an elderly woman called; she looked exactly like Abi, only older. She had in her arms a large bucket full of ice, with all manner of drinks in it.

"Mum!" Abi scolded, giving her mother an irritated look, before reluctantly answering, "Over there in the shade, with the others."

"He isn't allergic to anything that I know of," Severus replied, thinking, so far nothing, but you know the saying: never say never.

"Talin?" Abi asked, smiling as children ran past her. Her son was last, grinning wider than she'd seen him in a long time.

"No allergies," Talin confirmed. "It's a wonderful party you've pulled here."

"Thank you," Abi said. "He's worth every penny."

"Aren't they all?" Talin replied with a smile.

"Indeed," Severus agreed, his eyes unconsciously drifting to his son once again. Nobody would believe what he'd been through if he told them. They'd cart him off to the nearest hospital and have him on the strongest sedative they could find.

"Excuse me; I best get the plates ready!" Abi declared suddenly, realizing why she'd come over in the first place. Talin had her neighbour talking; he'd barely said three words all day to anyone. He was really rather reserved, to the point of impassivity, and to see that in one so young was rather disconcerting. She could only imagine what had made him this way, but he wasn't a bad boy. He adored his son, but never took his eyes off him. It was as if he'd been through a major trauma that made him terrified of losing his son... or anyone he loved. It also explained his reluctance to make friends, but she wasn't sure about that; maybe he was just awkward with people he didn't know. Only time would really tell.

A loud cry caused Abi to drop the plate she was holding ―thankfully it was a paper one― but that wasn't her immediate concern. She looked around towards the area she'd heard the cry from, and quickly made her way over, her heart sinking. The chidren were too close to the barbeque for her liking. It hadn't been her son crying out—she knew his cry by now—but she was still deeply concerned. The music paused or was switched off.

"She needs a healer," one of the women said in concern as she knelt down beside the young girl.

"Oh, that looks bad. I don't have any paste; I'll need to go to the apothecary. I'll be right back," Abi said, frantically looking around for her purse in this maze of mess, presents, toys, and food.

"Move aside," Severus demanded, his voice filled with steel, and a path immediately cleared for him as everyone hastily did as they were told. It seemed that, despite his looks, his voice still invoked the appropriate responses. The only sound now was the sobbing of the little girl, safely ensconced against her daddy's chest.

Quickly and expertly, Severus unrolled his emergency potions kit, which he kept on hand all the time. Snagging the jar from its place, he opened it and scooped up a handful of the paste, feeling it tingling on his fingers. "Let me see, little one; this will make the pain go away, I promise," Severus said softly, so different from the tone he'd just previously used. "Can you be brave for me?" he added when the child continued to bawl.

"It's okay, sweetie," one of the women, presumably the mother or a relative, said.

Sobbing, the little girl held out her blistered and red hand; nodding soothingly at her, Severus held onto her wrist before placing the paste on as quickly as possible, despite the fact she tried to yank her hand back. Once it was on evenly, he tapped her hand with his wand, causing bandages to wrap around, protecting it from any infections.

"It should be cleared up by tonight; take the bandages off then and put this on. It will ensure it's healed properly and remove any buildup of bacteria that could cause a potential infection. It won't need to be bandaged again, but it will be tender for a few days, so make sure she keeps it clean," Severus instructed, handing the second potion over.

"Is she going to be okay?" Harry asked, watching her from right beside his daddy.

"Yes, she will be fine, Harry; don't worry," Severus assured his son solemnly; he wrapped his arms around his boy's midsection, giving him the hug of comfort he obviously sought. "She just had a little accident." He noticed others around him were comforting their own little kids, who had gotten scared by the screaming. The older children were just being nosy, looking around their parents to see for themselves what had happened.

"I think I'm going to take her home; she's had enough excitement for one day," Graham said.

"I want to stay!" the little girl cried at the unfairness, pouting at her dad in hopes of getting him to change his mind.

"No," her father said firmly, sticking to his guns.

"I'll get her a goody bag, and a few pass-the-parcel presents," Abi offered, quickly moving to gather up some things for the girl.

"I want to go home," Harry whispered. He was staring at the bandages on the girl's fingers, feeling very sorry for her. He remembered what it was like to be sore; the horrible people used to hurt him. Part of him knew it was an accident, but he didn't want to stay; he didn't want to hurt like that. He stood quietly, watching his daddy put away the potions kit he had with him.

"Why?" Severus asked, giving his son his sole attention as the music started back up. Not that he was bothered; he'd love to get away from here as soon as possible. Harry had been having fun, though, proper fun for the first time, and he would like it to continue.

"Please?" Harry said, his green eyes glinting tiredly.

"Alright, let's go home," Severus said, standing up fully before lifting Harry onto his hip, then looking around for Abi to let her know they were leaving. It was the proper thing to do after all, when one was playing host to guests, and he was indeed a guest.

* * *

><p>Big thanks to Jake and Jordre for editing this :)<p> 


	23. Chapter 23

**Fixing Past Mistakes **

**Chapter 23 **

**Birthday Boy **

* * *

><p>Severus woke up earlier than normal. It was a special day today, Harry's first birthday with him, and he wanted to make sure it was special. The mail and coffee were already waiting for him. This was how his days started; he'd have a few minutes to himself before going to wake Harry up. Opening the first parcel, he found Harry's uniform, although he wouldn't exactly have called it that. At Hogwarts the "uniform" was an entire wardrobe; here it was, ironically enough, simply a t-shirt and a jumper for 'cooler' weather. They were allowed to wear whatever shoes, sandals, and shorts they wanted. He had gotten Harry seven t-shirts and two jumpers; although he had a feeling that the jumpers would rarely see the light of day, he'd pop one in Harry's bag just in case of emergencies. The snacks they served at the school were all healthy and could be paid for each day or for weeks in advance. One Galleon covered five weeks of snacks, so he would just hand over ten Galleons, and that would be one less thing to worry about for a year. Harry already had a normal Muggle backpack, but he'd gotten him a new one for his birthday, which ―surprise, surprise― had wolves featured on it. Harry was obsessed with them, and with dragons and horses of any kind. He knew Harry would be over the moon when he saw it, especially considering he'd gotten it to match the wolves he knew.<p>

Putting the package of uniforms aside, he noticed one from St. Mungo's, which had been sent to his old address; Dobby must have collected it when he went to feed Sirius Black. Black…it really didn't sit well with him doing this, allowing an innocent man to rot in Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit. Unfortunately there was nothing he could do; allowing Black to come here for even a second to see his godson would blow everything to smithereens. No, Black would just have to be content with the fact that he probably realized that someone knew he was innocent and was trying to get him out. The only thing that helped the situation was Black's own words, ironically enough; he'd remain in Azkaban, he'd said, if his godson would just live. Severus knew he would have to tell Harry about Black and the werewolf someday; he was just hoping that, when that day came, his son wouldn't sense his bitterness. At the end of the day, Black would do anything for Harry, that much was obvious. Although the fact that he wouldn't dress Harry for his funeral was curious…he'd never given an explanation for that.

Reading the letter, Snape realized that St. Mungo's also wanted his newest creation. It seemed that as an independent brewer he was doing very well; his work was really beginning to hit off. And it was the oddest, most peculiar thing; the other day, one of his neighbours, whom he'd only met very briefly at the barbeque and birthday party, had wanted to buy a few potions from him. Admittedly she had only wanted a bruise paste, a burn paste, and a junior pain reliever and bone-mender; he'd given them to her with a long-winded explanation on how to use them. He'd only taken half of what the potions were actually worth, but he didn't mind; she had four children and was raising them alone, from what he could gather.

"Clay? Patter? Adair? Heather? Dobby?" Severus called loudly, summoning all his house elves to him, or rather all four of Harry's elves, and his one. Dobby was the only one who actually belonged to him, being bonded to the Snape/'Regis' family. The others were bonded to the Potter family, and Harry would gain control of them when he turned seventeen. Today was July 31st, a very special day: it was Harry's first birthday with him, and to top it off, he'd just received the news that his potion was a huge success. Those subjects who had agreed to the trial testing stage did have three different strands of DNA in their system. Other than a little bit of dizziness and disorientation, an upset stomach, and in one case even eyesight changing for the better, no other side effects had been apparent. Which meant the potion was approved, and since he had patented it, it wasn't freely on the shelves. No one other than he would ever brew the potion; it would however, remain closely monitored by the Ministry. St. Mungo's wanted more, not to test it, but for it to be there if anyone wanted it. They were willing to pay a lot of money for it, in bulk if need be; they weren't even attempting to ask him for the recipe. Or rather, attempting to buy the recipe from him to take it on themselves.

"How can we help Master Severus?" Clay asked, speaking for all of them as they gazed at him attentively.

"It is Harry's birthday today," Severus said.

"We know, Master Severus!" Dobby said, almost jumping up and down; all of them had been busy making things for their young master. There was a large banner out the front of the house, with "Happy 4th Birthday Harrison" done in blue colours, since he was a boy, of course. A cake was already baking away in the oven; the house elves wanted to give him a birthday he would remember, especially since they knew what he had been through before Severus had taken him. They had learned this, partly by watching how Harry reacted, but mostly through overheard conversations. House elves were shameless eavesdroppers, but they were fiercely loyal to their families and would never reveal what they heard.

"Then I assume there is a cake being made?" Severus asked, his lips twitching; they'd made a large one for him. His first one, if he was honest. As a child he'd never had one; as an adult he didn't have friends who would want to buy one for him, and he sure as hell wasn't buying one for himself. His last birthday had been by far the most memorable; he hadn't spent it teaching students or just staying in his quarters. No; he had been blessed with the sight of Harry trying to sing "Happy Birthday" to him, along with the elves, a scrumptious cake afterwards, and a divine dinner.

"Yes sir," Dobby proudly grinned.

"Very well," Severus said, then asked, "Has the pool been cleaned?" He hadn't used it or even gone near it since he'd bought the property.

"Yes sir," Heather said; she was the one who had done it just three days earlier.

"Good," Severus said. "Breakfast for two as usual." Then he stood up; grabbing his letters, he placed them in the same drawer he always did. He was actually thinking about transferring all the letters from St. Mungo's to his potions lab, where there would be less chance of their going missing, or of Harry's getting his hands on them. Two potions published already... Merlin, he loved it; it was just amazing. He hadn't realized just how much teaching students had hindered his career. He barely understood it himself, although the fact that he couldn't remember hearing of such potions being created the last time around was concerning. He couldn't consciously recall hearing of a Potions Master called 'Septimus Regis,' or any potion he'd created. Or rather that, he had actually created, but in the past... oh, this was getting confusing.

"Accio Harry's birthday presents!" Severus said, summoning them to him, and diverting the zooming presents onto the table, ready for Harry to open.

The smell of the food was already beginning to waft through from the kitchen; it hadn't taken them long at all. Shaking off his idle thoughts, he made his way up the stairs to wake Harry up, still proud of his accomplishments. Harry could be his son if he wished to be. Right now he wasn't; the paperwork had been written up by the goblins, but that didn't make it true. That wasn't even taking into account that he was the one who would have gotten custody of the boy if the will had been read. This potion would make it a reality; he would be biologically Harry's father. He did want that, more than anything else in this world; since getting Harry out of the Dursleys', he had been so proud of the progress the boy had made. Harry had wormed his way into his heart; he wanted nothing but love and to be looked after, and that it was something new to Severus. People always wanted something; it was human nature. But he'd discovered that looking after someone gave him a sense of accomplishment. He had done that; he was doing something right, and it gave him such a rush of confidence.

Once Severus was up the stairs, he opened Harry's bedroom door. His duvet was once again lying on the floor. He couldn't blame him; it was just too hot here for them. Instead, Harry had a sheet wrapped around him; it was all Severus had on his own bed, even with air conditioning. He found himself shaking his head in wry amusement; Harry had tried to create a little tent for himself again, "tried" being the keyword. The sheet wasn't big enough, nor were the items he was using to make the tent shape, which were a chair and his cupboard door. Severus was genuinely surprised Harry wanted to be in any enclosed spaces, if this could be counted as such, after what he'd been through. Perhaps it was a testament to the fact he was getting over what had happened to him... no, forgetting might be more accurate; as Harry grew up he would only remember him. Maybe he might still have the odd nightmare about the Dursleys, but Severus doubted that would last... he hoped they didn't, anyway.

"Good morning, daddy," Harry said, opening his eyes and staring at him, a smile on his face.

"Good morning, little one," Severus responded, his lips twitching; he was getting used to the routine. "Happy Birthday," he added, wondering if Harry was even thinking about presents this year or if it would be next year when he would expect them. He'd told him last night that it was his birthday today, and he was turning four years old. He'd just received a sweet, tired smile in return; Harry expected nothing from him, which was why he was determined to make this an extra-happy day for him. Since they always went to the beach, that wouldn't be special; he decided not to go down that route. Instead he would begin to teach Harry how to swim, then spend the rest of the day outside, have some burgers and hotdogs on the barbeque. It was by no means a birthday party, but since Harry wasn't friends with many children, he didn't see the point this year. Perhaps next year, after he'd made friends in nursery... the thought of being responsible for a gaggle of children made him nauseous, though. Yet he'd promised himself to give Harry a normal, stress-free childhood, and, unfortunately, birthday parties fell under that category. So this year he would enjoy the time alone with his son.

"Go on then; toilet," Severus said, ushering Harry out of bed as he opened drawers and waited for Harry to pick whatever he wanted to wear. The cupboard was empty; all Harry had was t-shirts, shorts, and, of course, underwear. He had the jacket Severus had bought, but it still had the tags on it; the weather was just too hot for such items. It remained on its hook beside the door, along with both their cloaks.

Harry bounded back through the door grinning cheerfully, no sign of sleepiness to be seen.

"What would you like to wear today?" Severus asked, pulling out his trunks and pulling off the label as he did so. They hadn't been used; Harry hadn't been in the water yet, neither in the pool nor at the beach; just in the bath.

Harry peeked into his drawer, his eyes roaming over his t-shirts as he tried to decide which one to wear today. He decided on the white one with Gobstones on it, with green stuff squirting out of them; he liked that one. His daddy had told him his own mummy had been really good at the game and had been the top player. His daddy had sounded really proud, and Harry was determined to have that pride as well.

"Can I play in the back garden today?" Harry asked, staring up at his daddy in awe. He would never get tired of this. He loved it here; he could go outside every day, and it was always warm! He didn't have to wait to go to the park until a day came along when it wasn't raining. Plus he wouldn't have been able to go to the beach, either, and he loved going to the beach.

"Yes. We are going to have lunch and maybe dinner outside, how would you like that?" Severus enquired, shutting Harry's drawers as he and Harry moved to the middle of the room. Instead of leaving, Severus sat down on the bed, and Harry stopped curiously. Why weren't they going down to breakfast? They always did; had he done something wrong? He began to worry his tongue with his teeth.

"Did I do something wrong, Daddy?" Harry asked, his green eyes clouded with confusion.

"No, Harry, you didn't. You are a good boy, and I'm very proud of you," Severus firmly stated.

Harry beamed; he might be four and growing up to be a big boy like his daddy, but he never wanted this to stop. His tummy felt fluttery just hearing it; his heart felt ready to burst. Even if he didn't understand why people called his daddy Septimus Regis outside, but inside he was Severus Snape; it didn't really matter, since he was daddy either way.

"You know that I am your dad; I always will be, but there's a potion that can make you even more my son," Severus said, trying to explain it in a way the now four-year-old could grasp. He wasn't sure Harry would, but he had to try, at least; if the boy didn't understand, he would wait until he could. He wasn't going to do this without Harry's complete comprehension of the situation.

"More?" Harry asked, his eyebrows scrunching up as he tried to figure out what his daddy was saying.

"Remember how I said you have your mummy's eyes? And your first father's hair? That is because they're a part of you. If I gave you this potion, you would have part of me in you too. Although, there might not be any changes we can see; you may just get better at something you might not have found easy otherwise," Severus explained, groaning at how grown-up that sounded; Harry was only four years old, but he could find no better way to say it.

Harry pondered on what his dad meant; if he had a part of his mummy and first daddy, why didn't he have a part of his now-daddy too? Or did the potion always have to be used to get a now-daddy? But his daddy said it himself; he was already his dad. Harry thought of the nasty people taking him away because he didn't take the potion so his daddy could be a proper daddy. Then he remembered his dad saying they couldn't hurt him; they were locked away now. Did it really matter? He loved his daddy very much; he got lots of food and toys, was tucked in at night, got to play. And the best of all were his hugs; he'd never had that before. He wanted to have a part of his daddy in him… even if he couldn't comprehend the full reality of it.

"Uh-huh," Harry said, nodding vigorously.

"Yes," Severus prompted, giving Harry a pointed look, not even letting him off with it since it was his birthday. He didn't want Harry to become inarticulate. You could tell he'd been spending time with children his own age, especially when he started using words like that, since he didn't normally speak that way.

"Yes, daddy, I want to," Harry corrected himself, still in agreement.

Severus had the odd urge to stand up and jump around like a lunatic; it conflicted with his grown-up mind, simply put. Was he really experiencing the emotions of a teenager? Could this have happened the first time around, if Dumbledore hadn't screwed up his life? His other life? One thing he could blatantly and concretely agree on was it would have been different. They wouldn't have been here, and if they were, Dumbledore would never have left them alone. Perhaps this way was better; he was more experienced, and he realized he was being given a second chance to fix things. Back then he wouldn't have; it was a huge revelation when he realized this, and somehow he knew deep down that everything was going to be all right. Well, if his emotions would settle down; he was not used to this at all.

Taking a deep breath, he removed the potion from his pocket. He'd been hoping to do this, but he hadn't been certain. The potion already had his blood in it, and would start to work through Harry's body straight away. Uncorking the vial, he held it out for Harry to take whenever he was ready. Hopefully the literally blood-red colour wouldn't put him off.

Harry didn't hesitate. He'd been taking potions for what felt like forever now; they tasted extremely icky. This one was worse than the nutrition potion he had to take—although his daddy only made him take that one once a week now, since he was a big boy. Sticking his tongue out, Harry shuddered as he handed the vial back.

Severus picked Harry up and hugged him close, feeling completely overwhelmed. He'd never thought he'd have his own child. Never in a million years had he hoped to have his own family, even if it was just the two of them. "Thank you, Harry," Severus whispered, inwardly cursing himself for being such a sentimental old fool.

Harry just hugged him back, giggling at how silly his daddy was being.

"Right; breakfast; come on," Severus said, placing Harry steadily on his feet before leaving the room quickly. All that was missing was his robes billowing out around him, which he no longer wore.

"Happy birthday, Master Harry!" the five house elves called as soon as Harry entered the living room.

Harry squealed, grinning widely at them, hopping on the spot as he noticed they had brightly wrapped packages in their hands. "Can I open one? Can I open one?" Harry asked, turning his wide, hopeful eyes on his dad as he continued to jump around.

"Only one; you need to eat breakfast first," Severus said, caving just a little at the look. He'd never seen Harry show so much excitement before. He'd seen him almost doing it, but never, ever had he displayed such a reckless abandon as right now. It was a sight to see, since so far Harry had been like him, quiet and reserved mostly, even at the birthday party. Harry had exclaimed how much he'd liked it after a nap once they'd gotten home. Seeing the little girl hurt for some reason had scared Harry a little; Severus hadn't figured out why. Harry hadn't been able to tell him; he'd merely shrugged his shoulders, truly unable to articulate it.

"Okay, daddy," Harry said, smiling sweetly in agreement.

"You may put them on the table; Harry, what do you say?" Severus asked; he knew the presents wouldn't be anything valuable, but it was the thought that counted.

"Thank you, Dobby…Heather, Patter… Adair, and…" Harry scrunched up his nose trying to remember the last one's name before exclaiming it loudly, "…Clay!"

"Well done," Severus praised; by then the presents had joined Severus' on the table. Severus hoisted Harry onto his chair, letting him choose which one he wanted to open first.

"This one," Harry said, pointing towards the large bulky package that Dobby had placed on the table.

Severus lifted it up, nearly grunting; Merlin, what the hell did Dobby have under that packaging? It felt heaver than a dead body. Placing it on the floor, Severus was intrigued himself; what had Dobby given Harry? It felt like wood to him, but it was difficult to tell with the paper wrapped around it. Harry practically ripped the paper in one go, gasping in awe at the sight that greeted him; it was awesome. "Thank you, Dobby!" Harry said, his fingers reverently running up and down the smooth varnished wood. It was almost as big as he was when he was sitting down on the floor with it. There was even a small hand-held Pegasus; he knew exactly where he wanted this: in the middle of all his toys beside his dragons.

Severus' eyebrows almost disappeared completely; that, he had to admit, was a very thoughtful gift. A lot of hours had gone into creating that. It was a Pegasus, animated to make noise. So much precision work had gone into it; no spell could do that for you, and you had to have the talent yourself. Harry's love for any kind of big animal with four legs and a tail was well known. This included hippogriffs, horses, Arabians, unicorns, and, of course, Pegasi. He was grateful Harry hadn't taken to centaurs or centuarride (the females). There were none in this part of the world; it was far too warm for them. They liked cooler climates.

"Breakfast, Harry," Severus calmly reminded his excited son.

"Okay," Harry said, giving it one last longing look before standing up, not quite ready to challenge his daddy just yet.

"Well done," Severus said, appreciating just how difficult it was to come away from his shiny new toy. Oh, he knew there would come a day when Harry wouldn't want to do something and had the determination to speak up. Hopefully by bringing him up right, when he spoke it would be enough to make Harry realize he was serious. Only time would tell... and wasn't it strange that he was looking forward to Harry actually talking back to him? It would be a sign of a normal child, that he was recovering, or rather, had recovered. "Do not choke yourself," Severus admonished in amusement; Harry was trying to swallow his meal whole, without wasting any time chewing.

"I'm excited!" Harry confessed, gobbling down his food despite the fact that made his tummy ache. He had so many presents; he wasn't sure how many, since he only counted up to ten. If they were anything like the wooden Pegasus, it would be brilliant; he would have to do something for the house elves to say thank you. Maybe his daddy would help him with that, since he couldn't do it by himself.

"I can understand that, but take your time; they will still be there when you finish," Severus said, eating his own breakfast in a more sedate manner. He mentally made a note to change his planned potion-brewing. He no longer needed to brew nutrition potions; Harry definitely didn't need them anymore, not even once a week. He was one hundred percent healthy; potions had done all they could to make up for the damage the Dursleys had inflicted.

After Harry practically inhaled his breakfast, Severus allowed him to open his presents. There were a great many, Severus had spared no expense. Fortunately he had drawn a line and only gotten Harry two, or maybe three extremely expensive gifts; the rest were just what was commonly referred to as "stocking fillers." He had sworn never to spoil Harry, not wanting him to think he could get whatever he liked when he demanded things. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done, even for a man like him. He was proud of himself for being able to restrain himself and not allowing himself to buy more, which, by the way, he had been sorely tempted to do. He could think of no other explanation than that he was totally and utterly going soft.

Considering that, just nine months ago, he had bought enough items to fill a shopping cart, and not to forget the items he had been buying through the wizarding delivery service ― yeah, it was a surprise he had thought of anything to buy Harry.

He had bought Harry a dragon handler's outfit, which in fact mostly consisted of dragon-hide, ironically enough. It was thin, though, not like the actual stuff the dragon handlers wore. They were imbued with fire-resistant spells, to prevent them from being fried to a crisp by an angry dragon. The outfit was accompanied by a real dragon tooth on a thong, which he hoped Harry didn't lose or misplace, as they were actually very rare and hard to get. He'd had to use every connection he had, to get the damn thing.

Harry immediately put it on, the dragon tooth taking pride of place around his neck; he didn't seem to care how big it looked against his chest. The junior boots were awesome, and loud when he jumped around, but he didn't care; he was grinning so widely it was beginning to hurt. There was also the fireman costume and trucks (Muggle of course), and of course the Auror costume.

There were paints, paper, crayons, and a large board and chalk, all with educational books and activities. Severus was determined that Harry would learn and be the best he could be, so that when he decided on his future career, it wouldn't be an impossibility for him. He knew not to push too hard; children needed time to develop socially, not just academically. Speaking of academics, Severus had also bought Harry building blocks, although part of him thought Harry was maybe a little on the old side for them.

He bought Harry a few Video's to enjoy, which would join the others in his room. These days he was allowing Harry to watch TV when he went to bed. It seemed to send him off to sleep much easier; he was certainly sleeping within twenty minutes, when he went to check on him anyway. Harry still had his night-light, which he was hoping wouldn't be needed for much longer. The only thing that soothed his concern was the fact that many children who had been brought up without abuse were scared of the dark as well. It wasn't as if Harry potentially thought that he was back in his cupboard or terrified someone was out to hurt him.

When Harry began to play with the toy guitar, Severus thought he'd have something he would regret buying his son... until he got his hands on the keyboard, which did take the place of a toy he would regret. Harry didn't play long regardless; he was trying to get through all the presents. Toy cars, as were needed for a boy; they were one of the things he noticed there were more of in the Muggle store. There was a huge selection of them, and they wouldn't make them if boys didn't play with them, obviously.

He'd also bought a few items that Harry would have to go outside to play with; under no circumstances did he want Harry to be like him. Now, since they already had a swimming pool in their house, he had decided on a sandbox, although he had noticed Harry wasn't particularly… a boy who liked to get dirty. He would come out of his shell sooner or later, Severus was positive of that. He also added a toy broom and a bike to the collection; he considered them and the dragon handler set to be his "big gifts."

He bought Harry a submarine, one that moved on its own, made engine noises, and voiced itself when it suddenly popped up over the water or decided to go down, the whole shebang. There was also a different assortment of toys he could play with in the bath or in the swimming pool.

The last to be opened by an overwhelmed four-year-old, who was actually putting his ripped wrapping paper in the bin each time he finished with a present, were the gifts from the house elves. They all seemed similar to Dobby's, but since they didn't get paid, really, what could you expect from them, a miracle? Heather had created a unicorn to compliment Dobby's Pegasus. The only difference was that the unicorn was mostly smooth, whereas the Pegasi were winged and feathered creatures, so it was a much more difficult image to carve. Patter, Clay, and Adair had made, respectively, a T-shirt with "ET" stitched with excruciating detail, down to the last stitch, a carved ET, and a Dragon-Wolf carving, a creature composed of two animals, a dragon and a wolf. It has the head and ears of a dragon, but with the whiskers, tail, and forelegs of a wolf. Its main body was that of a dragon. He had to admit he was blown away by what the elves had done for Harry; it was obvious to see they liked him, as well the fact that he liked them. He prayed it would never change, and his son wouldn't treat them horribly, like Lucius Malfoy and his ilk. No, it wouldn't change; he would never allow Harry to become like them. That would only happen over his dead body.

* * *

><p>Harry stood at the very edge of the pool, staring wide-eyed. He had nothing but his trunks and a pair of armbands on. His daddy was already in the pool, just standing in it waiting for him, as if he understood how scary it was. Harry didn't want to go in; his daddy was big, and he was nearly disappearing inside the water.<p>

"It's all right, Harry; I won't let anything happen to you, I promise," Severus said, trying to convince the four-year-old to come into the water. Inwardly amused, he mused on what odd creatures children were. From what he could gather, this was a typical thing; children absolutely refused to go into the water properly. Then once they did actually go in, you could never get them back out; at least this was his impression from their frequent visits to the beach. Also from what he'd read about the curriculum from the school, they began teaching children how to swim from the age of six. Being surrounded by so much water, Severus had to agree it was one of the best ideas. Not everyone here could cast Bubble-Head charms, after all, especially not minors or non-magical people, as they were called here.

Harry bit his lip as he looked at the deep water again; swallowing thickly, he dipped his toe in before yanking back. He didn't want to disappoint his daddy; this was the most prominent thing on Harry's mind. He steeled himself, finding the courage that lay with the trust he had in his dad not to let anything happen to him. He'd come and rescued him from the dark place, made sure the horrible people didn't hurt him, made him all better just like he'd done for that little girl. Sitting down at the edge, he cagily let his feet go into the water. Unconsciously he began to kick his feet around, rather enjoying himself, and then he shrieked as he was pulled in by his ankles.

"You're bad!" Harry exclaimed, his pout big enough to hold an iceberg on it; his green eyes were filled with fire.

"I am," Severus agreed, his blank face hiding his amusement. He was watching his son, wondering if he'd realize he was in the water and definitely NOT drowning. Severus was looking for any change in Harry, no matter how small it was. Unsurprisingly, he couldn't see any sign of change; he wasn't sure if he was relieved or not. He probably was; he would never want a child to look like him. A secret part of him had wished as a young man ―no, wondered even― what a child of him and Lily would look like. There had been a time when he'd been confused about his sexuality, especially when he'd begun to admire men rather than women. There had been no doubt his feelings for Lily had been more than just best friends. Who wouldn't feel that way with Lily about? She had been absolutely stunning, fiery with an attitude that let people know she wasn't going to take anything sitting or lying down, as evidenced by her need to protect everyone she saw needing help. This had also been the breaking of their friendship, and it was apparent from Lily's letter that that's what it had been. The letter... he'd read it so many times since he'd got it; each night he couldn't help himself but sit and read it. It didn't fail to warm and hurt his heart just seeing her writing and knowing she hadn't died hating him. She'd forgiven him, and if they hadn't been under the Fidelius charm…they maybe would have been able to reconcile their friendship.

"Would you like to play with your new ball?" Severus asked, as Harry began finding his sea legs. He obviously couldn't reach the bottom, but that didn't matter, since he realized nothing bad would happen.

Harry's green eyes were so luminous, they even put the water to shame, and despite the rocky start, he was beginning to enjoy himself. He nodded vigorously; he loved all his new presents and couldn't wait to put them in his room beside all his other treasures. Severus summoned Harry's brand-new ball and passed it along, feeling elated with himself, as he always did when he could successfully make Harry so happy. He no longer dwelled on the depressing fact that Harry could have died…he was also trying to live for the moment, which meant going out more often, and not just wanting to rush straight back. This had him written all over it, even talking to the Headmaster of what would soon be Harry's new school didn't quash it. He didn't know himself if it was an innate fear of being away from a place he called home, being outside among people, or if it had begun through fear when he was spying. He surmised it was perhaps a bit of all of them, but he could never really be certain.

After half an hour of tossing the ball back and forth, and teaching his son to use his arms to move around in the water, Severus placed a Bubble-Head charm on Harry, and removed his armbands, which had dragons depicted on them. Of course Harry held onto his dad like an octopus, all arms and legs, because he was terrified of going under the water, despite the fact that the spell wouldn't allow him to drown. Severus had placed little colourful plastic rings, which he had created with his wand, on the bottom of the pool floor and pointed them out to the child.

"Harry, the spell allows you to breathe underwater," Severus explained once more, before he dunked both of them under the surface. Harry squeaked in surprise, and true to his dad's word, he found that he could breathe.

After a few unsuccessful tries, he finally began to navigate a previously unknown terrain underwater, which led to a few hours of fun, where Harry gathered all the rings. Severus, for the most part, was just content to watch Harry having fun, introducing him to new things and seeing his face light up. It was interesting, to say the least. He wanted to make sure Harry had fun with him, since he was going to nursery soon, and Severus knew he was going to feel a little lost for a while. He'd gotten so used to being a full-time father…him, of all people! To think that in a few months it would have been an entire year since this had all begun... The day he'd gone to fetch Harry was pretty unforgettable, since it had also happened to be Christmas day.

"Can we see the wolves now?" Harry asked, chatting away as his daddy got out the water; he'd been helped out first and told to keep away from the edge of the pool.

"Of course," Severus said in bemusement. Instead of growing less fascinated with them, Harry spent more time than ever with them. Not that he really minded, but he did warn Harry never to go alone, and always stay where he could see him. He'd put wards up anyway; if Harry stepped three feet inside the tree line, he'd meet a barrier preventing him from going further. He didn't think the wolves would do anything; they'd taken an immensely good liking to the boy. He just didn't want Harry getting lost. There would come a time when he could go by himself, but not right now.

Now it was time for some lunch and cake, and if they were hungry later ― dinner. Just how exactly did he get the time to invent potions again? Right now it seemed like a big mystery... but only for a few minutes before it became insignificant.

* * *

><p>Big thanks to Jake and Jordre for editing this :)<p> 


	24. Chapter 24

**Fixing Past Mistakes **

**Chapter 24 **

**Nursery **

* * *

><p>Severus walked towards the nursery with a very reluctant Harry in tow, dragging his feet. If the boy kept it up, he would be walking at a snail's pace. He'd told Harry what would be happening, of course, quite a few times. He'd done this just to let him get used to the idea, and to let Harry know what was going to be happening. He thought it would help in the long run, but right now he was beginning to think otherwise. Considering they'd only walked from the school gates to the nursery, which was only about fifteen steps, it said a lot. The urge to take him home was strong, but Harry needed to socialise with children his own age, otherwise he would start school next year without any idea of how to interact with his classmates. No, this was for Harry's own benefit, and he wasn't about to let Harry get his own way on this.<p>

"I don't want to go," Harry said, his voice sounding worried, anxious, and downright terrified. By this point he was tugging wildly, trying to get his hand out of his daddy's, desperately wanting to go home. When his dad had spoken of his going to nursery, he hadn't really thought about it, just absently agreeing; now it was real, not something that could happen soon.

Severus stopped and crouched down beside Harry, barely stopping himself from sighing in exasperation. "It's only for one hour, then I will be back for you, I promise," Severus said softly, running his hand through Harry's hair, which was getting longer. Instead of the coarse, messy hair it had been, it now seemed to be finer, tameable, and most importantly, darker. It was the only change he could see in his features. Still, it didn't mean he would stop cutting Harry's hair; it just didn't seem to need doing every few weeks. Harry now had his black hair, but thankfully hadn't ended up with the greasiness inherited through the Prince family for generations. That and their pallid skin tones, which was no longer a problem for him. Nobody he knew would ever recognize him if they bumped into him. Long gone were the greasy, lanky hair, pallid skin, and the black clothes which only served to enhance his pallor. In their place was an eighteen-year-old-looking young man, with his hair tied up. He was tanned and confident, without his former permanent scowl—although he was far from smiling; he mostly had a neutral mask in place.

"I want to go home," Harry said, tears filling his eyes as he bit savagely at his bottom lip. He could see the other children with their mommies or daddies ―sometimes both― as they went into the building. What Harry noticed most of all was the fact the grown-ups left empty-handed, looking really sad themselves.

"Stop that," Severus said, preventing him from biting at his lip, which thankfully hadn't ended up bloody with his gnawing. "I will be back for you, I promise," he said once again.

"I want to go home," Harry insisted, his head shaking in denial. "Please, daddy, I want to go home."

"And you will, in one hour," Severus said firmly. It began with just one hour and would get steadily longer once the children were used to being at the nursery. With that he led Harry into the building. Inside it was colourful, cheerful and happy, but Harry didn't see any of this. He just grabbed onto Severus' leg, refusing to let go, not even when the nice ladies spoke to him.

"Come on; let's see if they have any dragons," Severus said, entering the nursery after ticking Harry's name off. He immediately felt like a giant, surrounded by so many small children. He swallowed thickly, his eyes wider than usual; there had to be at least forty children there, and that wasn't counting the ones still to come. Twenty-six students a year was all Hogwarts received, six in his care, in Slytherin, if he was lucky, so to say he was shocked would be putting it lightly. So many magical children, and they were in the right place, for here they would learn all they needed to survive in either world. Children of all different ethnicities; there would definitely not be prejudice here, although he could admit to being astounded that they could all understand English.

Harry huddled as far as he could into Severus, completely terrified by all the strange people. It wasn't like the birthday party, where there had been only ten adults and eleven children, if they were lucky. In this small, confined space, there were over fifty adults and forty children. Harry didn't dare let go of Severus; his fingers gripped onto his bare leg as if his life depended on it.

It didn't take long for the crying to start up, when the adults began to leave. A lot of the children were quite easily distracted, but three began bawling their eyes out, causing Severus to wince. He prayed to Merlin that Harry wouldn't cause a scene like that. Unlike the other children, Harry's fear of being abandoned wasn't just a possibility; no, it had already happened once, and this enhanced his terror of being alone. This was the only way to truly get Harry to realize he wasn't going anywhere.

"Harry, let go," Severus said, biting back a curse as Harry's nails managed dig in and scratch him. He made a mental note to cut Harry's nails, especially if this was going to happen all the time. Staring down at the terror-filled eyes, he almost came undone and decided to take Harry back home. Yet he didn't; instead, he stiffened his spine and felt determination thrum through him.

"Hello, little one. What's your name?" the nursery teacher asked, beaming at Harry; he was a stunning child.

"His name is Harrison, but he prefers Harry; there is a calming draught in his bag, the right dosage for him, but only if he really requires it," Severus calmly stated.

"Of course; the Headmaster alerted us to his circumstances," Ellie said, realizing who she was speaking with. "He will receive the best care here, Mr. Regis, of that you can be sure." Regis didn't speak like a teenager; he had the breeding of a pureblood, she could tell. He was well-spoken, effortlessly demanding respect, and taking the greatest care when it came to his heir.

"Here is his snack money for the year," Severus said, handing over the envelope.

"The year?" she repeated in surprise, accepting the envelope, which was quite heavy. "I will write it down."

"Remember, Harry, one hour. See the watch? When this hand gets back around to the top, I will come and pick you up, and you can spend some time with the wolves," Severus said, kissing him on the head. He let go of Harry as the teacher took hold of his hand. He'd given Harry a watch, knowing he couldn't tell the time, but he was smart enough to understand what he meant about the hands reaching a certain point. Hopefully it would offer him comfort, if nothing else.

It was the hardest thing Severus had ever had to do. Knowing that his lingering would make it worse, he stalked out as fast as he could. Merlin, he'd thought being a spy was hard, or taking the potion and allowing them to chant the spells that could land him in any time period, or worse, kill him in this attempt. Nothing, absolutely nothing, compared to turning his back on Harry and leaving him there, listening to him screaming that he didn't want to stay. Taking a deep shaky breath, he Apparated home. Even knowing this was the best thing for Harry didn't make the situation any easier.

The first thing that hit him, other than the fact that he felt as if he'd lost something, like an arm, was absurd, really. It was the silence. Harry wasn't by any means a loud child, but he was inquisitive and constantly at his side. Severus shook off his irrational worry. Harry would be fine; his scar was gone, and he didn't know that his last name had once upon a time been Potter. Yet the strange feeling in his chest wouldn't desist; grumbling under his breath, he went to the only place he could look for solace: the potions lab.

Wandering downstairs, he automatically began setting up his cauldron. Water went in with a flourish and was left to boil while he retrieved and cut up the potion ingredients. Brewing a potion that he could make in his sleep didn't prove to be as easy as it normally was. He screwed up each stage, lost in thought as he constantly worried about Harry. It made his heart feel constricted; was it just him, or was he taking Harry's being at nursery worse than the four-year-old was? If so, that was bloody ridiculous; he was safe. Or was it the fact Harry wasn't here that was the problem? Was this solely because he missed him? It was something he probably wouldn't ever figure out.

"For Merlin's sake!" Severus cursed, banishing the mush in the cauldron that wouldn't have even healed a cigarette burn, never mind anything else. Sighing softly, he stared at the ceiling in exasperation. Flicking his wand he restored everything to its proper place, including the cauldron and ingredients. He abandoned the lab and wandered through the house until he got to the back door and stepped outside. Then he just stood there, staring out into the forest, Harry's second favourite place, where he could run around and play with the wolves. He had noticed it was only the females that really interacted with Harry; the Alpha and other males just observed their surroundings. They were protecting the females of the pack, and of course Harry; this was typical male behaviour. Although there was one female he hadn't seen since the first day, and he'd had a feeling she was pregnant. The spell he'd used on the area had confirmed it; he had soaked a piece of meat in a potion that was good for the cubs and the wolf. He'd placed it at the edge of the forest, telling the Alpha of the pack, and no doubt the father of the cubs, what it was, but whether the female had gotten the slab of meat he did not know. It had disappeared, though, so he was hopeful.

Turning around, Severus went back inside. Deciding against trying to brew, at least today, he grabbed himself a coffee from the kitchen and sat down in the living room, deep in thought. The children would only be at the nursery for one hour for five days, after that they would be there for four hours. Hopefully Harry would settle in by then, and enjoy his time with the other children. He was hoping and praying that Harry did not have a repeat of that day when he'd gone catatonic with the house elves, not in the nursery. It wasn't normal, and he was rather worried Harry would need to go to a mind healer for help regarding his situation. Going to a mind healer was one sure way to end up ignored or treated like a leper in any community. They wouldn't care why, or even ask, come to that; they would just assume there was something wrong with him. Of course if it came to that, Harry would just have to see someone; one way or another, he was determined that Harry would let go of this fear and thrive.

"Letters for Master Severus," Dobby said quietly, popping in and handing the bundle over.

"Thank you, Dobby. How is he?" Severus asked.

"He was sleeping, sir, but he isn't so malnourished now," Dobby said solemnly. The wizard had been half-starved, and as a house elf who was responsible for keeping wizards like him in tip-top shape, making them healthy and making sure they were well-fed, it was wrong on so many levels to see. Even if he had been a bad wizard, the urge to help when he could was strong. Master Severus was always kind enough to make sure he didn't have many duties, especially with having to get to Azkaban each day, then to the empty property they had for mail, and coming back to St. Lucia afterward. He could safely say he wasn't used to using so much of his magic, even before ending up with this new, wonderful Master. He'd let them give gifts to their young Master, and he'd been allowed to keep them and he really liked them. Normally such things would just be put to one side and forgotten, but not his little Master, because they'd seen him playing with them lots of times since his birthday.

"I see; you may go," Severus said, allowing the elf to get back to his duties. Thinking back, he tried to remember whether Black was in atrocious condition when he was released, but he couldn't really say for sure. He'd been dressed in wizarding clothes, with a cloak, which didn't really help you gauge how thin someone was. He'd been pale and a little dirty, and his hair had been in dire need of a cut; other than that, he'd certainly seemed healthy enough. It was driving him mad that he couldn't tell whether he was doing the wrong thing, or if he had already done it before! It was an endless paradox. Had his other self taken Dobby as well? No, he couldn't have…otherwise he wouldn't have known how badly treated he was…or would he have? Just trying to think about the paradox made his head spin, and so he tried not to dwell on it. Easier said than done in his case, since here he was in the past, reliving his life.

"_Accio_ writing pad and pen," Severus said, snatching the arriving articles from the air before he began to scribble on the pad. He was trying to calculate when the Dark Mark would make its reappearance on his arm. It wasn't a day he was particularly looking forward to. Frowning, he stared at the writing in confusion; he must have done the calculation wrong, since all indications were that the mark should have reappeared by now. Ripping the paper out, he began anew, taking more care and time to write it properly and clearly, yet it became obvious that he had done it right the first time. Unable to accept that, he began on a fresh piece of paper. Yet the results were clear; his body had long ago reached the age he'd been when he'd received the Dark Mark. Shifting the pad to the side, he stared at his blank arm, completely baffled. What did this mean? Had he held the key to removing the mark upon him since before he'd got it? A simple but effective de-aging potion? Severus wished he knew for sure; he didn't want to get his hopes up, only to find the mark back one morning. For all indications were that he'd passed the age and time when he'd accepted the Dark Mark.

Ripping the pages out, he stood up and threw them into the fire, watching them burn until they were nothing but ashes. Satisfied, he sat back down and took a drink of his coffee, only to grimace: it was cold now; he'd spent too long lost in thought. Staring down at his watch, he blinked in shock. The hour was already up? Merlin, it hadn't felt like it at all. Suddenly anxious to know how Harry was doing, he Apparated from the house to the gates. Nobody could Apparate past them; it was a blow to his knowledge that the wards protecting Grande Riviere Magical school were ten times stronger than Hogwarts'. Considering how young they started here, it made sense to make it more foolproof than the ones needed to teach eleven- to seventeen-year-olds.

He was surrounded by adults coming and going, their four-year-olds gleefully explaining what they'd done, others happily eating chocolate frogs or other sweets as they walked. Severus just looked at the building for a few seconds before taking a deep breath and moving. He truly was dreading what was awaiting him inside. Opening the door, he noticed the Headmaster of the school was there; that did nothing to comfort him either, although he finally noticed he was speaking to all the adults as he walked through the archway hiding the main nursery from sight. Perhaps it was a usual thing for the Headmaster here; you certainly wouldn't have seen Dumbledore caught dead with even twelve parents of Hogwarts students, never mind all of them. To be fair, the man had been busy, being Headmaster, Head of the Wizengamot, and a bunch of other things he didn't want to remember. Severus wasn't in a mood to treat Dumbledore with any kind of fairness. Not now, and he certainly wouldn't once time reinserted itself. It was Dumbledore's fault he'd been alone, angry, and bitter at the world all those years. That letter….would have changed his entire life, but what was done was done; there was no point in dwelling on it. Dumbledore had also neglected Harry in the worst way; if he had not intervened, Harry would already have been dead. Lily's will had been perfectly clear; Harry was NOT under ANY circumstances to be sent to live with the Dursleys.

He was forcefully brought out of his thoughts by a body slamming into his legs. Looking down, he was met with Harry's head. His face seemed dry of tears; that seemed like a good thing, although he wasn't going to count his roosters. Gripping his son's underarms, he brought him up and set him on his hip, nearly choking at the hold Harry took against his neck.

"How was he?" Severus asked, speaking to the closest teacher, whom he recognized from earlier.

"He didn't move from his spot the entire hour. We gave him the calming draught; it did help a little bit. We succeeded in getting him to play with a few toys," Ellie said, smiling softly. It wasn't unusual; five of the children had stood in the corner and bawled their eyes out the entire time. "Given time, I think he will be just fine, won't you, Harry?"

Silence was the answer.

"Harry," Severus said firmly, gently tugging the child around to face him.

"Yes, ma'am," Harry quietly murmured before his face was buried back in Severus' neck.

"This is Harry's tray, it's where we will put any pictures or things he's done, and updates on his progress, as well as important information about events that take place in the nursery," Ellie explained, pointing out the little green tray emblazoned with Harry's name. Opening it she handed Severus a piece of paper with different dates on it. The first event was Dress-Up Day, where they could dress in whatever they wanted. Then Halloween, of course, and the dates the nursery would be closed for Christmas and New Years; he would need to keep it close at hand.

"Thank you," Severus said, looking back over at her.

"His peg is over there by the door," Ellie said, walking towards it and handing Severus Harry's bag. "He didn't eat his snack. Harry, would you like to take it home with you?"

"Yes, please," Harry said, without needing to be prompted this time.

Smiling once more, she wandered off to the kitchen area, which was warded against small hands, and grabbed a milk carton and, of course, the plastic plate of fruit and crackers. She couldn't find a bag to put it in, so she decided just to give him the plate; it wasn't as if they were low on supplies. Placing the carton on the plate, she handed it to Septimus, who took it with a curt nod.

"Ah, Septimus, how was his first day?" Headmaster Adison asked, coming over to them, seemingly bemused by Harry's shy nature.

"Mostly as I suspected," Severus replied with a sigh.

"That good or bad?" Talin asked somberly.

"Neither," Severus wryly answered.

"I see," Talin said, swallowing a soft chuckle. "I'm sure it will get easier on him as time goes by." It seemed as if Septimus would never be a big talker, which was odd for someone as young as he.

"Here's hoping," Severus said seriously. "Thank you."

"No problem," answered both Talin and Ellie.

"Harry, are you going to say goodbye?" Severus asked, deciding against telling him he would be there again tomorrow; he didn't want him anxious for the rest of the day.

"Bye," Harry replied quietly, obviously not in a talking mood.

Giving them another curt nod, he left the nursery, with a lot less flare than usual, especially with Harry buried into his side. It didn't look like he would be letting go any time soon. "Would you like to talk, Harry?" Severus asked.

Harry shook his head in response.

"Words, Harry," Severus reminded his son.

"No," Harry replied without moving away; in fact he tightened his grip as if he was scared Severus would force him down anyway.

The five-minute walk back home was spent in silence. Severus was beginning to think Harry was in his first 'huff' with him. Either that, or the calming draught had made him tired, which shouldn't happen. The potion was meant to take away the angry or pent-up emotions, leaving you calm so you could get on with your day. He had measured it out correctly, so there was definitely no sleepiness... at least there shouldn't be. Maybe there hadn't been when he first got Harry due to his being malnourished, but that wasn't the case any longer.

Sitting Harry on the chair, Severus knelt beside him. "I told you I would be back for you, didn't I? And I rarely break my promises, Harry," Severus said softly, brushing Harry's hair from his face, looking him straight in the eye. His other hand placed the food on the chair beside him; there was no point to its going to waste—although there was nowhere near enough for it to substitute for a meal.

Accusatory green eyes just stared at him. The mixed emotions Harry was feeling right now were confusing him. On one hand he didn't like his daddy right now; he'd left him all alone. On the other hand he just wanted to hug him and make the scary feelings go away; he was very glad to be home. He felt the safest here, but he was still angry at his daddy and he let it be known. He'd never felt angry at his daddy before; it was a new experience and not one he liked.

"Come, let's go see the wolves," Severus offered, holding out his hand. It was becoming apparent Harry was in no mood to talk, so perhaps the wolves would cheer him up a bit. It seemed he'd finally said something that Harry liked, since he perked up and immediately scooted off the chair, but the child didn't take his hand.

Lips twitching at the hilarity of the situation, he followed Harry through the house, wondering how long his strop would last. Having never spent much time with children, especially never outside of his class, it was an entirely new set of circumstances for him. Should he have found this amusing, or should he be feeling guilty? He didn't suppose it was really that important. He opened the back door and watched Harry practically run towards the edge of the woods, where one particular wolf was waiting, its tail wagging excitedly, evidently happy to see him.

* * *

><p>"Hello, little one," the white female wolf said, licking his face and renewing their scent on Harry, marking him as under their protection and belonging in their territory. She could taste the saltiness on his face; he had cried recently. "What's wrong?" she asked, her nose sniffing the area, electrifying blue eyes keeping a sharp outlook, despite the fact that she knew it was safe. But for a wolf, it was instinctive to be cautious.<p>

"Daddy made me go to nursery," Harry whispered, pouting.

"Nursery?" questioned the wolf, lying down and leaning into Harry's hand that was currently scratching at her ear, causing her tongue to hang out and press further. They might have human intelligence, but it only went so far, especially with what they had an understanding about.

"Daddy said it's so I can learn things, about magic," Harry said, giggling when the cold nose butted into his chin.

"Learning is important, little one; even our cubs have to learn things to survive," she said, speaking directly into his mind.

"I don't like it," Harry said quietly.

"No one does, but it's a part of growing up," she said, licking his hand and causing the four-year-old to laugh again.

"Then I don't want to grow up. I want to stay here with you and the house elves and daddy," Harry said, as if that solved everything.

"Don't you want to learn what your daddy does? And be able to read your own stories?" asked the wolf, knowing very well he did, since he spoke about it when he came down to see her every day.

"Not anymore," Harry said petulantly, knowing he was lying, but not wanting to admit it. He just didn't want to go to nursery.

The white wolf moved over until her stomach was flat on the ground. Harry squealed and climbed on, wrapping his arms around her to stop himself from falling off. He loved it, but she didn't do it very often. Then they were trotting around the garden and the edge of the forest, and just like that Harry's bleak mood disappeared quicker than lightning. They didn't stop until Severus called him in a few hours later when it was lunch time.

* * *

><p>Harry climbed into bed, tired, overwrought, and feeling incredibly guilty. Despite knowing the wolves and his daddy were right, he'd continued to ignore him all afternoon. He just wasn't used to feeling angry at his daddy, and when he thought about it, it just made him hurt more. He didn't like nursery; why was his daddy making him go? His daddy said he'd never hurt him or let anyone else do it either, but making him go to nursery was hurting him. He hated it there, he just wanted to stay with his daddy and do their normal things together. He knew deep down he would be going back, and Harry dreaded it. The thought alone nearly brought him to tears and temper tantrums again.<p>

"I'm sorry, daddy," Harry quietly said, not able to meet his eyes.

Severus sat down beside him; it was situations like this, that he wasn't familiar with, that worried him the most. He didn't know quite how to deal with tantrums and sulking children. It had never been up to him to deal with them before; his main worry was over allowing Harry to get away with it and it getting worse as the years went by. On the other hand, he didn't know what to do with him to make it stop. The books weren't much help; they said to let them come out of it on their own. Unless of course they were being cheeky, and then the best thing to do was send them to their room to think about their actions and realize they were being bad. It was the only thing he could do, since he absolutely refused to lay a hand on his son. He was under no circumstances going to be like his father. Harry had already received enough abuse to last a lifetime.

"I know," Severus sighed, "I also know you don't like going to nursery, but that will change. You will come to enjoy being there, Harry, I promise. You will make friends, have fun, and learn magic just like all the other boys and girls. Your mum, first dad, and I all went to nursery too, and you will make me proud, little one."

"Proud?" Harry asked, perking up and looking at his daddy, his green eyes suddenly alive.

"Very proud," Severus said honestly. Harry had his hair, the Prince hair, without the greasiness that had plagued the last two generations, at least. He had no idea what his maternal grandparents had looked like, or his father's parents, come to that, although he wasn't sure whether it was their choice or if they had already been dead by the time he'd come along. He'd thought about it on and off, wondering if he'd made a mistake in giving Harry the potion so young. But children were adopted every day; they didn't get to decide whether they liked their adoptive parents or not. It was a fact of life, really, and a depressing one at that. Harry loved him, something that boggled Severus' mind, but he did, and he was being the best father he could. Hopefully when Harry was seventeen, he would see a young man who had a good head on his shoulders, and one that was proud still to have him as a father. Not that he could imagine Harry looking seventeen; no, it was an image of the four-year-old that popped into his mind. The potion only gave him some of the Prince magic, and perhaps shifted his looks slightly, thanks to the DNA strand's changing. He had to stop feeling conflicted about it, and he would stop, starting now. If Harry, God forbid, actually hated him in the future and didn't want the potion in his system, he would deal with it then.

Going to nursery would make his daddy proud? Just like when he named all his animal figures and counted properly? He wanted to make his daddy proud, more than anything in the world. He just didn't like nursery…but for his daddy he would do anything, absolutely anything. Biting his lip he moved over and clung to Severus tightly, feeling even worse than he had a few minutes ago. "M' sorry, daddy," Harry murmured, burrowing his head in Severus' neck.

"I know, little one," Severus said, soothing his overly emotional child. He had realized today would be a bad day for them both, so he had been prepared for it. Hopefully things would calm down, but he didn't think it would be that easy, not yet. It would take Harry a little bit longer before he was comfortable at nursery. He had a lot of people who cared about him now; he would get better and move on, be happy. "Everything will be fine, trust me." Trust? That was all children did; more often than not that trust was well-placed, but for a few unlucky ones…it was deeply misplaced. The Dursleys hadn't completely ruined Harry, thank Merlin for that, and Harry trusted him with his life and happiness. He could only pray it was never misplaced.

"Can you tell me some stories about mummy?" Harry quietly asked, peeking at his daddy quickly before burrowing himself back comfortably. "When you went to learn magic?"

"You want to know about Hogwarts?" Severus asked quietly. It hadn't been the best of times for him; well, not completely, since the best times he'd had in his life were also there. Unfortunately the bad outweighed any good, even if it had been his times with Lily. No, if there was a time he could go back to…well, other than this; it would be to just after they met. He would truly appreciate every moment learning about Lily, teaching her about magic, and just having a good time. He would have done a lot of things differently. No matter, it wasn't possible; coming from a man who had already gone back in time, it was ironic really, he knew.

"Yes, please!" Harry chimed, gazing at Severus in complete adoration and rapt attention.

"All right," Severus acquiesced, bringing out the yearbook, and opening it at the page of seventeen-year-old Lily, who beamed at them, unaware of anything that would transpire. Of her beautiful son, of the prophecy, of her and James' death. He liked those pictures of her; it kept his mind off the time she'd stared at him, angry at him for his callous words. Or worse, the betrayal in her eyes he used to see every night when he tried to sleep, although coming back in time had cured him of that particular problem. No, but Dumbledore had replaced those memories with a few specifically disturbing nightmares. "Who's that?" Severus asked, remembering the first time he'd asked Harry that with amusement.

"Mummy!" Harry said, giving his dad a look that suggested he was being very silly.

"Yes, and she was very excited to be going to Hogwarts; your mum, your grandparents, and I all made their way to the train station. Thankfully I was with them, and I knew― because my mum was a witch― where the platform was, since they didn't understand. You see, it was magically concealed so nobody could accidentally find Hogwarts or get on the train," Severus told his enthralled son.

"Does the train look like mine?" Harry asked, snuggling into his bed, his eyes never leaving his dad's face.

"Somewhat, but it is scarlet red instead of blue. Your mum was sad to be leaving," Severus said, smiling wistfully as he remembered.

"Why was mummy sad?" Harry asked, "Didn't she want to go?"

"Very much, she just felt sad that she wouldn't get to see her parents every day," Severus replied. He was hoping this example would ease Harry somewhat. That he would realize he was lucky to be able to return home every night. That he would see him every night, and the wolves, and go to his own bed, play with his own toys. This was his reasoning for telling Harry a tale of the first train ride to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Maybe one day Harry might journey on the same ride as all his parents had ― who knew?

"She didn't get to see them?" Harry gasped wide-eyed; his daddy wouldn't send him there, would he? He hoped not, because he wasn't going to go.

"No, Hogwarts is a boarding school, little one. We only went home during the holidays, like Christmas and summer holidays," Severus explained. He refrained from telling Harry that he was glad for that; he had been ecstatic to get away from his parents, but not everyone was ― he knew because Lily had been almost in tears.

"My nursery isn't like that, is it?" Harry asked anxiously, his green eyes skittering around the room worriedly.

"No, not even your school with be; you'll return home to me every evening," Severus said firmly, watching as Harry slumped back onto the bed, no longer anxious.

"Good," Harry said smiling widely.

"Now where was I? Ah, yes, your mum was very sad, but she was looking forward to going to Hogwarts. I managed to cheer her up, when we were joined by two other boys for the ride to Hogwarts," Severus said, having to swallow thickly; he did not want to continue. "Their names were Sirius and James; we got into a debate about which house we would all go into. I wanted Lily to be in the house I knew I would be in."

"House?" Harry asked, his forehead scrunched up. Why would they be going into houses? Did they go live with new mums and dads? Did his mum stay in the same house as his dad?

"At Hogwarts there are four houses; it was a place in a big castle where you sleep. The Slytherins sleep in the bottom floor, the Ravenclaws sleep in a tower, as do the Gryffindors, and the Hufflepuffs are on the ground floor," Severus said, not wanting to use the term "dungeons;" to Harry, no doubt, they were a possibly scary place, like his cupboard.

Harry giggled, "Silly names!" He'd never heard of them before, but they did sound very silly.

Severus' lips twitched, he would make sure Harry knew there was more to life than the stupid house rivalry. It just promoted bullying, as much as it pained him to admit it, but the more he was here…the more he saw life in the UK in a worse and worse light. "They are, aren't they?" agreed Severus wryly. "Your father and…godfather, as well as your mum, were sorted into Gryffindor."

"What about you, daddy?" Harry asked curiously, muffling a yawn; he wanted to hear the story.

"I went into a different house: Slytherin," Severus explained.

"Daddy?" Harry quietly asked.

"Yes?" Severus asked, staring at Harry fondly.

"What's a godfather? Is it like a daddy?" Harry wondered.

"A godfather is someone that would take care of you if something happened to your mum and dad," Severus explained, slightly tense.

"Why didn't he take care of me?" Harry asked, innocently cocking his head to the side.

"He couldn't, but he would have wanted to, that much I know," Severus said, his nails digging into the palm of his hand to keep himself under control.

"Why couldn't he?" Harry wondered curiously.

"Because he was blamed for something he didn't do," Severus said, trying his best to tell Harry the complete truth in a way the four-year-old could understand. "It meant he had to go away for a long time, but he loves you and will always think about you."

"Will he visit?" Harry asked.

"I'm sure you will meet him, one day," Severus answered. Not for a long time, he thought, but that was a different matter altogether. Seven years to be exact, but it wouldn't be a big welcoming reunion; he doubted they would be staying.

"Is his picture here?" Harry asked eagerly.

"Yes, here; that is a picture of him," Severus said, pointing out one of his nemeses. He would never like Black, but he did have his grudging respect for what he would go through for Harry... even if he didn't know he was going through it yet. Respect or not, he would never be on friendly terms with him, although stranger things had happened…especially around Harry.

Harry looked at him, trying to place him, but he couldn't, not really. Then a murky memory came through. He knew who this was; it was Padfoot! He turned into an animal and always made him laugh; he wondered what his doggy had done to make people think he'd done a bad thing. His mind drifted to the wolves, and Sirius was forgotten as he thought about how much fun he'd had today.

"What has you so amused?" Severus asked, inwardly feeling bitter and jealous that Black could get such a reaction from Harry when he wasn't even there. It was purely irrational, but Severus couldn't help himself. That was emotions for you, unfortunately.

"The wolf let me ride on her back!" Harry said randomly, still grinning like a loon.

Any bitter jealousy Severus experienced then burst like a balloon. Feeling very foolish indeed, he replied distractedly, "I saw." He had to stop this, the jealousy and bitterness; he didn't want Harry infected with his dark emotions. This was supposed to be a new start for both of them, even from negative emotions, and he'd damn well see it through.

"I'll always come back here after nursery, won't I, daddy?" Harry asked, still deeply concerned.

"Yes, every day. Then at the weekends it will just be us as usual, and we will have fun," Severus promised. It was a far jump from "do I have to go to nursery;" it seemed his little story had been a good thing after all.

"'Kay," Harry said, yawning tiredly, not able to suppress it.

"Bed; come on," Severus said, pushing the covers up to Harry's chin. "Goodnight, little one."

"Can you read me a story?" Harry hopefully asked.

"I thought I just did," Severus returned smoothly, closing the yearbook and placing it in the drawer beside Harry's bed.

"Please?" Harry begged, his eyes at half-mast, but still looking impossibly pleading.

"Just one," Severus relented, his lips twitching. "Which one would you like tonight?"

"Um, you choose!" Harry declared, his voice slightly slurry.

"All right," Severus agreed in bemusement, knowing Harry would be asleep before he finished a sentence, never mind a story ― short as it might be. Sitting back on the bed, he opened the book and looked at Harry, only to find him already asleep. His estimate had been wrong; he hadn't even been able to begin a word, never mind a sentence. Sighing softly, he tucked Harry in further and placed the book on the nightstand.

"I'll do my best by you, Harry, I promise. I can't say it will be like having James and Lily in your life...but I'll try," Severus whispered, his old insecurities rearing their ugly heads just because Sirius Black had been mentioned. It was pretty clear he wasn't over some issues of his past, but he could only try, and hopefully he would succeed.

Standing up, he made his way out of the room, the soft glow of the magical sphere that kept the room dimly lit at all times giving him a guiding light.

* * *

><p>Big thanks to Jake and Jordre for editing this :)<p> 


	25. Chapter 25

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 25 **

**Samhain - Halloween **

* * *

><p>September rolled away in the blink of an eye; before they knew it October had almost come and gone also. This was usually the hardest day of the year for Severus. Everyone at Hogwarts knew to avoid antagonising him on that day, October 31st. It was difficult for them to do, since it was Halloween and also a period of great celebration for most. It was the day the war had ended, and Lord Voldemort, or as everyone called him, "You-Know-Who," had finally been defeated. It infuriated Severus to no end, seeing them happy and celebrating something so tragic. They had forgotten the sacrifices that had been made to ensure their carefree happiness. The fact they couldn't spent even five minutes reflecting on that enraged him so. Albus had been no better; never once did he bring up those who had died. He never asked the students for a respectful minute of silence to remember those who had passed on.<p>

Severus rummaged through his drawer, looking for two items he needed for this day. Now, normally he would only light one, but this time was different. Harry was with him, and as much as he had hated James Potter, his animosity had tapered off. How could he hate the man who had given him the greatest gift in the world, the gift of fatherhood? Even if Potter wouldn't have let him anywhere near his son when he was alive... There had just been too much bad blood between them, but he would see it through. Finding the two candles, he placed them on the fireplace well out of Harry's reach. Two flicks of his wand and both wicks were lit. He didn't care if nobody else remembered them; he did.

"What are you doing, Daddy?" Harry asked, scampering closer, eagerly. He'd never seen him lighting candles before, but he knew to stay away. Fire was dangerous, especially if the fire was burning in the fireplace... but it hardly ever was since it was so hot here.

Severus' lips twitched. Harry was always so inquisitive, he had to know about everything he saw and understand it. He always made sure to explain it to the boy, though; knowledge was power, and he didn't want Harry ignorant of anything. Unfortunately he didn't want to spoil Harry's day; there would come a time for him to know his parents' anniversary, but today wasn't it. He was still a child in so many ways, and he deserved to be as carefree as possible for as long as he was able to make sure of it.

He knelt down to face Harry, who was getting too big and heavy for even him to keep on his hip for long. "Halloween is a very special time of the year Harry. All Hallows Eve is a special day for the magical world. It's a day of remembrance as well; would you like to light two as well?"

"R'memb'rance?" Harry asked, trying out the unfamiliar word.

"R-ee-membrance," Severus corrected, saying it in a way Harry would be able to understand it better and pronounce it. "It's a day to celebrate the life of people who have gone on ahead of us, to heaven," he added purely for Harry.

"Remembrance? Like for Mummy and Daddy?" Harry asked solemnly. His green eyes were gazing at his dad in adoration, hungry for information.

"Exactly," Severus proudly replied, nodding his head.

"Can I do it?" Harry enquired, his green eyes unconsciously begging his Daddy. It was a look that Severus Snape could simply not resist.

Severus stood up before hoisting his son into his arms, so he could sit on his hip. He was getting so big now, and heavy. When he'd first rescued Harry, he would have thought he'd somehow cast a Featherlight charm on him. There had just been no weight to him at all; this was the proof that his potions and regular eating had staved off the malnutrition Harry had been suffering from. Shuddering in remembrance of the still Muggle photographs showing his dead son stuffed in a cupboard, Snape swallowed the bile that desperately wanted to come up. He breathed deeply, reminding himself that that hadn't been Harry. The golem hadn't felt anything, it hadn't been real, and Harry had survived thanks to him. The small hands that wrapped around his neck surprisingly anchored him. It helped soothe his scarred soul, making him feel as though he was worthy of a second chance.

"We must be very careful; what did I tell you about fire?" Severus asked, not that he needed to tell him. The little girl at the party had touched the barbeque. Harry knew good and well just how much it hurt from her screaming and crying.

"It's dangerous, and it hurts, not supposed to go near it without daddy or an adult," Harry said, his voice firm even if he took a while to get the entire sentence out properly. The urge to talk like his friends was always present, but his daddy didn't like that. He wanted him to talk properly, and his daddy meant more than his friends, so he kept talking properly like he wanted.

"That's right," Severus said, proudly. "Hold onto my wand." Harry's own magic wouldn't be going through it; he was still much too young for that.

Guiding the wand, Harry's hand stayed on it but did not press down, thankfully; he didn't want anything to happen to his wand. Not only had he gotten used to it, this wand worked better and more smoothly than his previous wand, but, considering he'd gotten the first one when he'd been eleven, it made sense. He had changed over the years, a great deal; this wand was more fitted to his new circumstances and feelings. He no longer had foolish ambitions, or stupid desires. He could make his own life, tend to his own career, and create his own fame. Severus became startled when a small flame flittered out of his wand, causing him to stiffen. Well, it looked as if his thoughts had been wrong; bloody hell, Harry had used his wand to channel his magic. Thank Merlin's beard he was going to begin learning next year! Otherwise he would have had to teach Harry himself. The attack on his family and himself must have opened Harry's magical core early. Thankfully all the children here were taught early, so he wouldn't stand out. He would be a normal young boy, without emotional complications. Just as he desired, and so it would be.

"The other one?" Harry asked, turning to face his daddy, his green eyes blinking innocently at him ― unaware that what he was doing, the Magical world in Britain didn't and wouldn't understand.

"Of course," Severus absently said, moving his wand to the other candle and letting it go, watching Harry closely. His lips twitched when once again, a small tongue of fire rolled out the wand until the wick was burning steadily, before disappearing. Placing Harry firmly on his feet again, he took his wand back, making a mental note to himself never to leave it lying around... not that he would. He just didn't want Harry getting rebellious and using his wand to do something that could be worse than lighting candles. "Go eat your breakfast," he said, shooing Harry in the direction of his plate. Looking back at the four candles, he nodded to himself. He couldn't have saved Lily, but he had saved the one more precious to her than anything else. He knew deep in his heart she was happy, and if she had been able to she would have hugged him to death. His lips twitched in amusement, as his heart began truly to heal from the wounds of the past.

"Daddy, can I get dressed now?" Harry asked, gazing at his father enquiringly. "Everyone else is going to dress up, for Halloween. Oh, and Miss Daisy said we would be celebrating something called 'Samhain' too; what does that mean, Daddy?" His brow was creased as he thought about it, his breakfast temporarily forgotten as he waited patiently for his daddy to talk. He always tried his hardest to explain, and Harry knew even at such a young age he could talk to his daddy about anything.

"It is an older version of Halloween," Severus explained, his lips twitching at Harry's mispronunciation. Two months had passed since Harry had begun attending nursery, and he was relieved to see he'd been right. Harry had indeed made friends, and was enjoying nursery and the perks that came with attending. The first few weeks had been extremely difficult, though, especially as the length of time he stayed got longer. They said that small children had no concept of time; well, that person hadn't met Harry. Whether it was a guess or instinct ― Harry knew he'd been there longer each day.

"What happens at Samhain?" Harry asked, biting into his pancakes with relish.

"Samhain was considered by the Celtics to be the beginning of the winter. They had their cattle put indoors, and harvested all the fruits and vegetables for the winter months. They also built bonfires to aid spirits in passing on to the other world," Severus explained, trying not to bring up the dead, spirits, and other things they did during that time. Cattle had used to be sacrificed, as well as fruits and vegetables, until the Christians had changed their religious practices. Which they had done, but their practices lived on in the magical world, since they were largely unbothered or unconverted by Christianity or any other religion. Christianity had wiped out nearly all the pagan holidays, changing them to suit their own purposes.

"What's Celtics?" Harry questioned, his brow still puckered.

"People, from a very long time ago," Severus replied, biting his tongue so he didn't start a long-winded conversation that Harry definitely wouldn't understand. It was still taking some getting used to; he was so used to snapping, sneering, and drumming information into people. Mostly that had been about potions, but still. Harry would learn as he got older; that was the main thing.

"Can I go and put my costume on, daddy? Please?" Harry begged, squirming in his seat and desperate now to put his costume on and go to nursery and see what his friends had dressed up as.

"Very well," Severus said dryly, watching as Harry nearly tripped up over his own feet to race up the stairs. His mind went back to the conversation they'd had in the shop while getting his outfit for Halloween. St. Lucia didn't celebrate Halloween itself, although there were a few Muggle tourist areas that did, just for those who came from America or the UK on holiday, for example. The school did allow them to celebrate it though, since their students came from all over the world. It was just dressing up, mind, so you could say it was Samhain they were celebrating as well.

**-FLASHBACK -**

"It doesn't have to be something scary," Severus wryly pointed out. The shop already had outfits on display, as well as stocking up on sweets and crisps. They had Dementors, inferi, dragons, vampires, hags, werewolves ... the list was quite long, although the Muggle― no, Non-Magical—section was much larger than anything they had on offer. For somewhere that didn't celebrate Halloween, the shop was rather big.

"But I want to be scary!" Harry claimed, roaring loudly before smiling sweetly.

Severus' lips twitched. Harry wanted to be scary? He would believe it when he saw it. He had never denied Harry, so he doubted he would start now. A Halloween costume didn't cost that much, anyway; just two weeks ago he'd gone to nursery in his pyjamas. Something to do with supporting some charity; he'd been too distracted with a breakthrough in the potion he'd been working on to pay much attention to something the nursery did.

"Alright then, go on, have a look," Severus said, prodding Harry in the right direction.

Harry hadn't been out of his sight for more than ten seconds before something happened. Harry screamed before barrelling back into his daddy, grabbing into his leg and pressing his face into him. Severus patted at his head, trying to stop himself laughing. He didn't know why he found it so hilarious, but it was. He wondered just which of the outfits had scared Harry so much.

"I don't want to go as anything scary!" Harry exclaimed, shaking his head hastily.

"How about a wolf?" Severus asked, biting the inside of his lip to stop himself from smiling. Harry would get over childish fears sooner or later. Well, werewolf, but that didn't matter much. Harry wouldn't learn about them for a while, plus he got on with wolves, so perhaps he wouldn't care.

"A wolf?" Harry repeated, peeking up; he liked the sound of that. "Okay, a wolf, I'll go as a wolf!" he exclaimed grinning widely, his fear forgotten. His mind began wandering to what his friends would think― and the pack was his friends, his first ones, and he always spent time with them. Sometimes his daddy even went to the butchers to get fresh meat so he could give them some. The marrowbone, his daddy had said, was a favourite of theirs, and it was free too. The butcher had been big and intimidating, but he always made him laugh; he liked him.

"Alright then," Severus said, walking towards the Halloween rack, and taking out the werewolf costume that was Harry's size. Unfortunately they were all brown; no doubt Harry would have liked a white one. Harry didn't once look over at the displayed costumes, finding the Dementor (not that he knew it was one) extremely scary. Before long Harry's new costume was paid for, as well as a few sweets Severus put forward as well. It was Halloween after all, and if he'd been in the UK, he would have celebrated with sweets. He was very pleased that the people here didn't host bloody large feasts filled with every sugary item in the world. He had never approved of that at Hogwarts; that was why his Slytherins had always eaten fruit as well as sweets. He'd made sure of it; if they hadn't, they would have faced his displeasure. Since his Slytherins had all liked him, he'd known they would abide by the rules; still, he'd kept an eye on them just in case.

Handing the money over without a word, he waited until he received his change. He gave the bag to Harry, allowing him to take his costume home. It wasn't as if it was heavy anyway, and Harry liked being independent, so Severus let it continue.

"Thank you, Daddy!" Harry said beaming at him, holding his bag and costume close.

"You are very welcome, little one," Severus replied, giving Harry's hair an affectionate brush-down.

"Here's your change; have a good day!" the shop clerk said, sounding far too cheerful for Severus' tastes as he handed some coins over.

Nodding his thanks, he turned his back and began walking home. He, unlike most wizards, wasn't lazy; if there was something he could do alone, then he would do it without the aid of magic. He had noticed that the local trend was pretty much in line with his own thinking, despite the fact that the area he was in was mostly magical, with some Squibs who knew about the magical community living with friends or family. The world wasn't as divided here as it was in Britain. Squibs weren't treated as pariahs here. He had been living here for months, but he was still learning new information.

**-End Flashback -**

"AWOOOOO!" Harry howled, as he came back into the living room with his costume on.

"Very scary," Severus said, his lips twitching once more. "Go and get your bag," he commanded as he quickly finished off his coffee. He had a very solid routine now, and liked it that way. So much of his life had been unpredictable, such as not knowing when either Dumbledore or the Dark Lord would call for him, demanding his presence; he'd been unable to control when that happened. So his life here was planned in advance. He would drop Harry off at the school, and then he would come home and perhaps do a bit of experimenting, or might actually plan out a potion. He was getting somewhere with the potion to cure the Longbottoms, but it wasn't anywhere near perfect. He still had time to iron out the wrinkles in it, anyway. He wouldn't dare give it early; he would have heard about a potion like that, would have known if the Longbottoms had suddenly gotten better. Not only would news of it have been everywhere, in all the newspapers, but Dumbledore would have spoken about it endlessly.

"Ready now, daddy," Harry said, coming back with his bag in his hand.

"Then let's go," Severus said, helping Harry put his backpack on, before they left the house. They were a little early, so he would walk them to the school instead of Apparating. The nursery didn't open its doors until it was time.

"We're getting to see animals tomorrow!" Harry gushed excitedly, "A man is coming to show them to us."

"That's right," Severus replied; he had received the permission letter and signed it already. They would be going to the Non-Magical market in two weeks as well. Why, he did not know, but apparently they wanted the children comfortable and familiar with all Non-magic things. He had been tempted to say no, not wanting Harry going anywhere where anything could happen. He would be putting a tracking charm on Harry, that was for sure, although... they were looking for volunteers to go with them. He was contemplating going along as one of the chaperones; that way he would be certain nothing happened.

"Can we do the swimming opbstical course again at the weekend?" Harry asked, his hand gripped tightly in Severus' as they walked towards the school.

"Obstacle course," Severus absently corrected, "I don't see why not." Although it was getting colder; Harry was taking to wearing his jumpers now. The house was always warm; he didn't want his son getting sick. He always made sure that Harry was comfortable and warm now. He had been freezing cold, stuck under the stairs in a cupboard with only a thin blanket that wasn't even on his shivering body when Severus had taken him.

"YES!" Harry squealed happily. He had been very unsure in the water at first, but with his daddy keeping him safe he wasn't so scared anymore. "Hi, Josh!" Harry called waving at his friend almost shyly.

"Hiya, Harry!" the other child said, waving back as his mother took him to nursery also.

Opening the door, he stepped into the nursery, and ticked off Harry's name. Severus helped Harry remove his bag and placed it on his peg. "Bye, daddy," Harry said, giving Severus a quick hug before running off towards the toy box filled with dragons, and an assortment of other toys. Severus watched as the child he knew to be Josh joined Harry; whatever he was supposed to be was a mystery to him. Severus watched his boy for a few seconds, smiling softly before he walked out. Harry had a calming draught in his bag, but he hadn't used it in weeks, which did make Severus proud.

* * *

><p><strong>Later that night…<strong>

"Can we have a different story tonight daddy?" Harry asked as he climbed into his toddler bed. A yawn split his face in two, he was so tired. They'd spent nearly all day outside at the nursery, playing in the park they had. They'd even seen the older witches and wizards beside a bonfire. Then he'd spent time with the wolves before dinner. After dinner, time was spent with his daddy, and it was the best time of all. They sat and watched one of his videos, with Harry curled up at Severus' knee. It was a new one he hadn't seen, and he'd barely been able to keep his eyes open.

"What do you have in mind, little one?" Severus asked, as Harry walked back into the bedroom. He had just put his clothes and used bath towel into the hamper for the house elves to collect.

"I don't know," Harry murmured thoughtfully. "Can I have one about when you met mummy?" At times Harry seemed to forget he had another father. As much as Severus would have liked that, he made sure to remember James ―Harry wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him― but he definitely mentioned Lily more. Although that was to be expected; Lily had been his best friend, after all.

"Of course," Severus said in surprise, before sitting himself comfortably on Harry's bed, letting him curl up beside him so he could hear the tale. "A very long time ago, there was a lonely little boy. He knew he was magical, special, and he lived amongst people who didn't like coming near him." It seemed to him to be a very long time ago; although in his de-aged form it wasn't as long, in his mind he would always think it so. He decided to forgo the fact that he usually told the tale in third person, and spoke about his life properly.

"That was until I met two little girls, one of whom was most definitely magical. Lily was swinging on a swing in the park; back and forth she went. She swung herself, going higher and higher, then she moved her hands and jumped, sailing gracefully through the air and landing on her feet without being hurt. She was very beautiful and caring; when I told her what she was, she looked very offended. Unlike those who are Non-magical, to wizarding folk being a witch is a good thing, not a bad thing. Eventually Lily began to understand she was different. She was very much like you, Harry, wanted to know everything about her new world," Severus said. The pain in his heart wasn't present when he spoke of her now.

"She liked books too, didn't she, daddy?" Harry giggled. "Just like me!"

"She did. You are a lot like her, Harry," Severus said. "But you are your own person, too; never feel like you have to live up to anyone's expectations."

"Expications?" Harry asked, unable to understand the unfamiliar word.

"Many people will expect you to be like your first dad, like being good at Quidditch or Transfiguration, or like your mum and be good at charms and potions," Severus explained. "Expect-tations means people will want to think you are exactly like them. Never think you must be like them; you are your own boy. And yes, you might like some of the things they did, but don't ever do anything just to please others."

"But I want you to be proud of me," Harry said, snuggling further into his dad; the bath had helped his feet, but they still hurt.

"I will always be proud of you, Harry, no matter what subject you are good at. No matter what career you choose in the future. I might get angry at you from time to time, but that doesn't and won't diminish any pride I have for you," Severus said honestly as he curled up next to his son, feeling extremely possessive. The thought of anyone from the UK getting their hands on his son in the future caused the feeling.

"I love you, daddy," Harry softly whispered, his exhaustion evident.

"I love you too, little one," Severus responded, barely able to swallow past the lump in his throat. Dear Merlin, his heart felt like it was being levitated from his chest. Flicking his wand, he put Harry's little globe of light on; it was dim, but you could make out the outline of everything in Harry's room.

"I don't need it anymore, daddy," Harry said, "You and the wolves will keep me safe." He was speaking about the light spilling into the room in a white haze.

"Are you sure?" Severus enquired, brushing Harry's hair out of his smooth face.

"Yes," Harry murmured softly.

"All right," Severus said, flicking his wand out, and the room was once more bathed in darkness. He remained with Harry until his breathing completely evened out. A small snore left his lips now and again, but other than that he remained unmoving and deeply asleep.

Each day Harry forgot more about the horse-faced woman, the purple-faced man, and the fat boy. They were nothing but a hazy recollection at the back of his mind now. One day soon he wouldn't remember them at all, but he was healing; the fact that he no longer needed the light was telling more than anything else could. He trusted his father completely, and he'd said he loved him…which left Severus feeling completely winded. He thought he'd been through all the emotions he could possibly go through, but he'd been wrong. Nothing could possibly be better than this memory, and unbeknown to him now, he would use this memory for his Patronus until the day he died.

* * *

><p><strong>The Next Day<strong>

Severus finished his potions research quite early that day, and had Apparated to the shopping centre to replace all his diminishing potion supplies. He had found a new best friend; the owner of the establishment was over the moon at gaining a customer willing to spend substantial amounts on her wares. The herbs and potion ingredients were first-rate; he didn't understand himself why she would have trouble with customers. He was happy with the service she provided; she wasn't one of those greedy vendors who tried to force ingredients on you that you didn't want. So he would continue to retain her services.

As much as he would have liked to spend longer there, he still wanted to spend some time investigating the little magical shopping centre, so different from Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. They had themselves in proper shops, with everything clearly on display, not shoved into every single corner. There was actually enough room to manoeuvre around the establishments, and he liked that. Perhaps he and Harry could come on Sunday and investigate it properly. He was sure Harry would love to visit the Emporium he had passed, although he loved bigger animals more than smaller ones.

Letting a family pass, Severus Apparated home once he was sure nobody would accidentally bump into him and end up coming with him. Checking the time, he nodded briefly to himself; he could put the new ingredients away before going for Harry. He never left ingredients out, not wanting Harry being hurt, or contaminating them with his curiosity. Some were, after all, toxic to touch, like the wolfsbane plant.

Leaving the living room, which he had Apparated into, he made his way down to the basement, which was where he had his potions lab. He didn't go right to the cupboard, but rather reached down into a large drawer full of glass jars, big and small. He removed five large ones and two middle-sized jars, and placed them on an unoccupied part of the table.

Ripping into the paper bags, he began to empty them out into the jars, before placing a sticker on each and tapping his wand against it. The date was written in bold letters, so Severus knew when he'd bought them and what was the freshest and the oldest. He'd use the older stuff first; only after those were all used up would he use these. Once the jars were filled and corked, he cast a preservation charm on them. The charm worked only so well, hence his decision always to put dates on his jars. He didn't need to put their names on the labels. He was a potions master; to gain that ranking, he'd had to know every single ingredient by sight, smell, and touch.

"Wingardium leviosa," Severus murmured; flicking his wand at the jars, he levitated them over to the cupboard and placed them on a shelf of their own. Once he was satisfied with their placements, he closed the cupboard door and stalked out the lab, ready to go for his son.

However, when he Apparated to the school, he found a scene of pandemonium, and his heart sank ― what the hell had happened?

"What the hell is going on?" Severus demanded, grabbing one of the first nursery teachers he saw. Where the hell was Harry? Unfortunately he couldn't find his son amongst all the teachers, children, and parents who had come to pick up their own kids.

Grace stared at the wizard, wincing at the grip he had on her arm. She managed to get him to let her go. "One of the children let a snake loose; we've managed to get nearly everyone out of the nursery."

"One of the children?" Severus asked, his heart sinking, before beginning to beat erratically against his ribcage. He had thought he had felt all kinds of fear…but this one…surpassed all other fears. He was terrified; he half didn't want to know the answer to his own question. "Where is Harry?"

"He's inside, Mr. Regis, but you are better off not going in ― it might escalate the situation…the handler is in there trying to get the snake," Ellie said, joining in the conversation.

"You left my son alone with a wizard he didn't know?" Severus growled, his displeasure and fury clear as day on his face. If this set Harry back, he was going to explode. Ignoring what both witches said, he made his way inside the nursery.

Opening the door he slid into the nursery room, and found Harry with a snake wrapped around his arm. A very poisonous, deadly snake. A juvenile rattlesnake, of all things, but Harry didn't look the slightest put out. The handler, though, looked as if he was ready to pass out. Utterly bloody useless sot, he was; he would ensure the wizard wasn't allowed to handle such creatures again. Why they had chosen such a snake was completely beyond him; it was utterly unwise.

The door opened again, bringing Severus out of his critical observation; he saw the Headmaster coming in, looking worried. "My employees told me you had come in; you have my sincerest apologies that this has happened." Talin glanced at the handler, frowning in irritation. He certainly would be having a word with him once this situation was resolved. "We have an antidote for all poisons in the potions lab, so if anything happens, he will have immediate care. I'm sure that isn't any consolation to you."

"Harry," Severus said, walking over to his son and kneeling a few feet from him despite both the handler's and Headmaster's protests, although the handler was much more vocal with his protests than Talin was. Talin wasn't stupid; he knew that this wizard was more than capable of protecting himself. "Why did you remove the snake?"

The handler squeaked.

"He doesn't like being locked up, and that bad man hurts him," Harry said simply. "He's really hungry, and wants a nice mouse to eat. He wants to come home with us."

Harry then cooed at the snake, speaking to it, calming it down and telling him his daddy wouldn't hurt him.

The handler's body toppled over in dead feint.

"He's a parselmouth," Talin whispered in awe.

"He doesn't belong to us, Harry," Severus said softly.

"But I want to keep him; he's my friend," Harry argued in the simple way that makes sense to children. "I promised him."

"If we took him home he might end up hurt there too, or he could hurt the wolves," Severus tried to explain.

"He won't hurt anyone, I promise he won't, he will do what I say!" Harry swore, his small fingers running down the small snake's back, as if giving it the comfort that he so desperately needed.

"It doesn't change the fact he doesn't belong to us," Severus said, although it wouldn't belong to the handler much longer either, if he had anything to say about it. He trusted his son completely; if the snake said it was being hurt, then it probably was. He didn't tolerate abuse of defenceless animals or children.

"Please, daddy!" Harry cried, tears building up in his eyes. "Snakey wants to come home with us. I promised!"

Severus sighed as he stood up, rubbing at his temples in agitation. How did he get Harry to understand that, whether he wanted to let the snake come home or not, he simply couldn't? He didn't belong to them, he belonged to a zoo. He didn't want Harry breaking his promise; it was obviously very important to him. The fact that he had promised the snake without asking, was an indication of Harry's trust in him.

"I will deal with it, if you want to allow Harrison to keep the snake," Talin whispered, so Harry didn't overhear and get the wrong impression. If Septimus didn't want Harrison to have such a huge responsibility at a young age... although he didn't seem to mind. Septimus only seemed hesitant because the snake did not belong to them. "After his actions this day, I doubt that handler will have a job for much longer."

"Indeed," Severus said, glaring at the weak wizard; the desire to rip him to shreds was strong. It was just a good job Harry was a parselmouth, although it was doubtful the boy would have taken the snake from the tank if he hadn't been. "Are you sure you can deal with it?" he enquired.

"Of course," Talin said, just glad the situation had been resolved. Such a thing had never happened before, and it had shaken them all.

"If they require monetary compensation, let me know," Severus stated, before turning back to his son, who was still cooing over the baby snake.

"Harry?" Severus called, getting his son's attention and wincing at the tear tracks on his face. Dear Merlin, he hadn't half gotten soft since coming here. He'd seen his share of crying children; none had affected him like this. Then again, none of them had been his son. "He can come with us, but you must make sure he understands he cannot leave the house. He will be well fed, but he cannot go around the wolves or he will get hurt."

"Really?" Harry asked, perking up, his tears stopping as hope bloomed on his face.

"Yes. We will go and get a proper tank and the things he will need today," Severus told him softly.

"Thank you, Daddy!" Harry exclaimed, before hissing at his tiny companion once more. Standing up, he burrowed into his dad; he was so happy he'd said yes. He didn't want to let Snakey down, didn't want to break his promise. As always, his Daddy came through for him; smiling softly, he inhaled his Daddy's scent, smelling potion ingredients as always, and it was his favourite smell in the whole wide world. He giggled softly at the complaints from his new friend at being squashed.

"I think it's time I woke him up and alerted everyone that the crisis has been averted," Talin said, moving over towards the unconscious wizard. "Enervate!" Talin murmured, flicking his wand at him; slowly the man began to stir before he suddenly bolted upright. He would be asking that idiot why the hell he'd brought a baby rattlesnake to a class with four-year-olds. Juvenile rattlesnakes were worse than adults, so yes, he was pissed off. Nothing dangerous, his arse! He had told them it was for a nursery group! Needless to say he was extremely pissed off. Probably more so than Septimus Regis…although he quickly changed his mind at the look on Harry's father's face.

"What…what…what?" the handler repeated over and over again, looking around in confusion.

"Follow me," Talin said, the authority in his voice leaving the handler no doubt he would suffer horribly if he did not comply. "Now!" Talin snapped when the man did not immediately begin moving, instead opening his mouth wordlessly.

"Mr. Regis, Harry, I bid you good day," Talin said officially once the wizard handler began moving out of the front door. He was grateful, really, that Septimus was not blaming them for what had happened. He would have to show his gratitude somehow. Shaking his head he quickly silenced everyone else's questions, before stating that everything was well, apologizing for what happened, and saying goodbye.

* * *

><p>Big thanks to Jake and Jordre for editing this :)<p> 


	26. Chapter 26

**Fixing Past Mistakes **

**Chapter 26 **

**Getting A Training Wand And Celebrating Christmas **

* * *

><p>Severus took Harry once again to the shopping district only ten minutes from the school. It was purely a Magical one, but very welcoming and friendly. During the weekend vendors set up tables and sold items, but you rarely saw them during the week... well, you didn't see them at all during the week. It was as if they could only get permits during the weekend. Most of the items were second-hand, but Severus had bought a few things from various stalls. That had been the day he had gotten Harry the snake tank and other items the youngling would like. Harry was just getting used to washing his hands every time he handled the snake; Severus was very much aware that all snakes carry salmonella. It wasn't a disease that affected wizards often, but when it came to Harry's safety, he wasn't going to risk it. So both of them regularly washed their hands, it was better to be safe than sorry in his opinion.<p>

The tank (glass, of course) he'd gotten for the snake was extremely large, but at least it would do him (which is exactly what the snake was ― male) for a long time. They'd also gotten plants, large water bowls, a lamp to give him warmth, and temperature gauges so the snake could be kept at a steady temperature, as well as rocks and stones to give it something to lie against. The light could only be kept at one side of the terrarium so the snake would have somewhere cool to go if needed. Newspapers were also a given, since the tank would need to be lined with it, and of course a dozen mice. The house elves had created little "hide-outs" for the snake, since Severus hadn't had any idea it needed them. Little burrows so it could remain hidden from view; it made sense― they were solitary creatures. Apparently it could become stressed if it didn't have a little place where it could go to hide. This was something he understood all too well, once he actually got around to reading the book about snakes that he'd gotten. Thankfully, everything else had been well remembered, and Mishikinebik liked his new home immensely. Considering he hadn't been treated right previously... well, it was hardly surprising. Yes, the snake was named Mishikinebik, something Harry had great difficulty saying, and instead called him Mishi. He had been with them a month now, and he was very well behaved. If he'd bitten Harry, even once, Severus wouldn't have cared what Harry said, he would have gotten rid of the snake. Harry's health came first, and he always made sure Harry was with him when he was handling the snake. He'd placed a charm on the tank, so if Harry did venture into the tank he would know the second he did. Thankfully, though, Harry listened to him; he knew not to push him, understood that he wasn't one to say things he didn't mean. That wouldn't be a problem for a while, since Mishi soon would be going into brumation, which is the term for hibernation in snakes.

Opening the door, he ushered Harry into the shop which was their destination; it was time for Harry to receive his 'training' wand, as it was called. He had no idea why it was referred to as such, since it was, for all intents and purposes, a proper wand. At least he assumed so; he would find out any minute now whether it was a real wand, or one that only allowed certain spells to be cast through it. He would be thoroughly questioning the witch or wizard in the shop until he was satisfied. He wasn't about to let Harry get a wand that would hinder his magic rather than helping it ― no matter how early he was receiving it.

He found himself face to face with quite a young witch; she looked to be in her early twenties, certainly not long out of school for certain. Surely she wasn't the wand-maker? Although it was possible the skill ran in her family, and she'd been brought up to learn the business. Just like the Ollivanders, who had been making wands for students at Hogwarts for many generations. He wondered for a few moments if she was just apprenticing or had actual experience; he was rather hoping the latter; after all, this was his son's wand. He noticed at once that this shop was different from Ollivander's: the disgusting layer of dust was not present here, and there weren't boxes upon boxes filed in every crevice of the shop, making it almost inaccessible. This place was bright and airy, and had many seats in which one could sit.

"Welcome to Ashbourne's; how may I help you?" the young witch said confidently.

"My son requires a training wand," Severus calmly stated. "But first, I wish to know more about them," he added when he noticed she began to move, no doubt to measure him for a wand. It seemed these wand-makers weren't like the ones at Ollivander's and couldn't sense who was who—which was probably a good thing, all things considered.

"Of course; what do you want to know?" Frances asked, staring enquiringly at the wizard before her.

"Why a training wand? And how does it differ from a proper wand?" Severus demanded, keeping an eye on Harry who was wandering around looking at the pictures of wands in fascination. He was used to that look; Harry loved learning, about everything and anything. When he said he was like his mother, he truly was; everything he did was questioned by his little imp.

"The training wand is exactly like a proper wand, but there are wards on a training wand to prevent any accidental wish magic being poured through it. Growing up is an emotional time, and it can cause children to focus too much on their wands with unfavourable results. These wards can be removed free of charge when the child is older, eight years old to be exact; by that time they are ready to use a fully-functioning wand," Francis said swiftly, as if she explained it all the time.

"And if I did not want wards on my son's wand?" Severus enquired, his face blank.

"That decision is up to you, sir," Francis said, for the first time looking a little unsure.

"Does it have any detrimental effects?" Severus demanded.

"None whatsoever; they learn as they go along," Frances said.

"Hmm," was all Severus muttered, his face taking on a thoughtful appearance. With Harry's magic so strong, it was probably for the best to use the wards, but if he ever wanted to teach him anything else, he didn't know if it would be possible. "What exactly does the ward do?"

"It prevents accidental magic being cast through the wand. In other words, your son would need to know the incantation for a spell he wished to use to get results," Francis stated.

Severus raised an eyebrow in contemplation. It seemed a fairly standard ward, but he didn't really understand the need for it. If children were going to cast accidental magic, it wouldn't be with a wand, would it? It was called accidental magic for a reason, because they had no control over their magic. "Are you implying that accidental magic can only be cast through the wand?" Severus wondered.

"Well, sir, in our experience, once children have a wand, wandless accidental magic is rare, since they are channelling their magic through their wand by the age of four. It is more of a precaution to prevent any strenuous magic from being cast, magic that their core is not ready for, such as a levitating charm being cast before the age of five, and for a draining amount of time. Children have very vivid imaginations, and their magic reacts to it. The ward will stop it, but I can assure you it is in no way going to cause harm to your son's magic or learning," Frances replied, feeling as if she was being inspected from head to foot and being found lacking for some strange reason.

"Has the ward ever… been disintegrated by accidental magic?" Severus asked cautiously.

"No, sir, but that is not to say it can't happen," Frances hastily answered. "Anything is possible; it just depends on how powerful and determined the child is." She was not able to say it would never happen, since with magic she knew anything truly was possible if the caster was determined enough.

"Indeed," Severus said, smirking sardonically. "Do they ever need to acquire a second wand?"

"Only if something happens to their original, or if it becomes less fitting to their magic as they get older, but that rarely happens," Francis said, feeling confident once again. This wizard truly disconcerted her, and she didn't understand why. He was only doing what any parent would ― making sure that this was right. He wasn't the first person to ask what a training wand was; many came here with the same question, but most were not quite as…intense as he.

"I see. Very well, then; I would like my son fitted with a training wand," Severus stated, coming to a decision. If he wasn't happy, he could return here and ask for the ward to be removed... unless he did it himself. He was sure he could find it if he put his mind to it, but he'd never heard of such a ward before.

"Yes…Mr…?" Francis asked, realizing she didn't even have a name for her customer.

"Regis. Potions Master Regis; my son, Harrison Regis," Severus firmly stated, before he took a seat, still watching her like a hawk. His son was still staring at the pictures of all the different wands, colours, and even cores available.

"Harrison?" Frances called, trying to capture the child's attention with a small smile on her face. He was gorgeous. His aristocratic cheekbones gave him the appearance of looking a little older than he was. It was something he certainly had inherited from his father; the resemblance was astonishing, but not surprising.

"You can call me Harry!" the four-year-old exclaimed, grinning widely as he scampered over to her, after getting a nod of approval from his daddy.

"I want you to close your eyes, and run your hand over these woods. If you feel a tugging in here," she said pointing towards her chest, "Then I want you to pick the one you are feeling up, okay?"

Severus observed this, perplexed; evidently they did it differently than Ollivander.

Harry closed his eyes tightly and did as the nice lady had asked, his small hand hovering over what he assumed were the wands. He wasn't sure, since his eyes weren't open, but surely the lady would have said if he wasn't doing it right? Then he felt the tugging. It made his tummy feel funny; giggling softly he claimed the one that had caused him to laugh softly.

"Interesting; it's not very often we find someone suited to Acacia wands. They are extremely temperamental, but loyal; they choose to work only for their owner. An acacia wand matches any for power, although it is particularly underrated because of its difficulty to match to a witch or wizard. It certainly narrows down the search for your wand, little one," Francis said, placing the wand woods aside.

She placed another velvet tray in front of Harry, with a variety of different wand core materials, all of them in a vial for one reason or another. Severus was slightly surprised to see more than just three core materials. After all, he'd only ever heard of the three: unicorn tail hair, phoenix feather, and, of course, dragon heartstring. He was surprised at the wand wood Harry had chosen; it wasn't a popular one, that was for sure. Watching in curiosity, he wondered just which core would Harry find suitable in his wand. He surmised it would be either unicorn tail hair or dragon heartstring; those seemed to suit the wood and Harry's magic the most.

"Same again, Harry: close your eyes and see which one chooses you," Frances urged the four-year-old.

Harry quickly found the one that was drawing him in, like the wood ― more quickly than usual, that was; most four-year-olds had to do it a few times before they found the wand right for them.

"Dragon heartstring," Frances said, watching the child closely, as he picked the vial he was drawn to. She, meanwhile, found herself drawn to the remarkable green eyes the child had. He was so happy that his eyes were twinkling brightly; he truly was going to be a heartbreaker when he was older. Plucking the vial back from the child and putting the tray aside, she left the front desk as she walked with purpose towards the drawers filled with Acacia wands with Dragon Heartstrings. Flicking her own wand, she had both trays floating behind her as she headed back to the front counter. They were all different lengths, and all that was left was to see which size suited Harrison Regis the best.

"Why don't you try this one; nine inches," she said, handing over the first wand. "Give it a little wave," she added, keeping her own wand within reach.

"I thought you said accidental magic couldn't be cast," Severus stated, his eyes twinkling deviously, in his own way actually joking with her.

"T-this is different," Frances stuttered, unprepared for that statement.

"Indeed?" Severus amusedly drawled. It seemed that, despite the fact that he was in a different country, he still had his terrifying demeanour. Crossing his legs, somehow still remaining regal, he continued to watch the proceedings with interest. Nothing happened with the first wand, or the second and third. The fourth, however, reacted: sparks shot out the end, and it glowed golden before stopping as abruptly as it had started.

"Acacia wand, dragon heartstring core, eleven inches," Frances said proudly, as all wand-makers were when they correctly matched a wand to a wizard. "Interesting combination; the wand will always be loyal to you."

"How much?" Severus enquired, standing up. Harry was gazing at his wand in awe, an excited, thrilled grin splitting his face in two. It was obvious he'd very much wanted a wand, although if he thought he'd be able to use the same magic as his daddy, well, he was in for some major disappointment. Perhaps it was just having a wand like his daddy's that would suffice.

"Six Galleons," Frances said.

He arched an eyebrow, slightly impressed; he had paid seven Galleons for his, and that had been back thirteen years ago. Merlin, it made his brain hurt thinking about it. In reality, he was thirty-two years old, at least in his mind; he was officially nineteen here…and he didn't have the Dark Mark, he thought to himself distractedly. It hadn't returned; he was literally free of the ties that had held him so long. His worry now was wondering if it would re-appear once time had sort of reinserted itself. Not that it would fix anything by worrying, so he cleared his mind and boxed it away, not wanting to think about it further. Instead he removed his pouch from his shorts and placed six Galleons on the counter. "Thank you," Severus said.

"No problem, Potions Master Regis," Francis said. "I'm here to help; happy holidays." And she was here, to help the next generation come into their own by making sure there was a wand for each and every person that walked through her door.

"You also," Severus responded, nodding his head in respect before he took Harry's hand and began to lead the child from the shop. Opening the door and allowing him to leave, Severus was already making plans to find a shop that had wand holsters, so Harry could properly take care of his wand. It was hard to believe it was coming up on Christmas already. It didn't feel like it; it was surreal, really. He'd never thought he'd see the day when he missed snow and the cold weather; it just didn't have a Christmas-y feel to it. Yes, he'd figured out the people in St. Lucia celebrated Christmas; most of the Muggle population were Christians, not surprising really. However, wizards still celebrated the Yule here, keeping to the old traditions, which were actually quite similar to the Christian ones ― who had converted and kept some of the older traditions to ease the transition for the people going from paganism to Christianity.

He had been invited to the Headmaster's home for Christmas day, or rather invited to the school first for the Festival of Lights. The school did it every year apparently, not only to bring everyone together, but to give a little more celebration and understanding to the children. The school itself wasn't open, but rather they lit lanterns on the school grounds and let them go, followed by a fireworks display. This happened at four o'clock at night, just before dinner and the feasts began. He had wanted to refuse Talin, but the wizard had just lost his wife to a disease that had rapidly deteriorated her, leaving him to raise his children alone. Now, he might never have had a wife, nor did he want one, but he knew how it felt to lose someone you loved. So with reluctance he had agreed; at least the house elves would have a break and not feel a need to go overboard with enough food to feed an army. Harry would have other children to play with, since Talin had three children, albeit two of them were a little too old for Harry to play with. One was aged twelve, a girl, called Tali, obviously named after her father. He had a boy that was aged eight, Alejandro, but he was mostly called Alex or Ale. Then there was the youngest, Jaden, who was five, just a year older than Harry.

Five shops down, Severus found the kind of place he was looking for and slipped inside, his son, as always, with him, keeping a tight grip on his hand. All the shops were closing in a few hours; every one had a sign up saying they would be closed by three o'clock on December 25th. He wondered briefly if they would be going to the school as well; it certainly wouldn't surprise him, since this place was a tight-knit community. Why they weren't closed the whole day he didn't understand, but he wasn't about to ask just for curiosity's sake.

"Do you sell junior wand holsters?" Severus enquired, as he reached the counter, not even attempting to look around.

"No, but one can be shrunk to fit Harry, if you like," Mark said immediately, smiling at both of them. Septimus Regis was a regular at his shop; he'd seen him quite a few times. He was always interested in the odd potion ingredients he sold; his shop sold a variety of different things. It drew in all sorts of customers, and they usually ended up buying other things as well. "I have some new potion ingredients in, if you are interested."

"Aren't I always?" Severus replied dryly, giving the elder wizard an ironic look.

Mark laughed in amusement, grinning at Septimus; his dry wit always make him laugh. There weren't many like him around these days.

"Would you like to see the different ones we have, or do you have a specific wand holster in mind?" Mark asked, getting back to being professional.

"The most durable one would be best I think," Severus stated thoughtfully.

"Then you definitely want a dragon-hide wand holster. All are extremely sturdy; none are better than the others," Mark replied, moving off towards the glass case he had with the dragon-hide holsters. They were right next to what appeared to be pleather, leather, and even suede wand holsters; they couldn't be any good, surely? They were cheap; the price was a single Galleon, but that didn't surprise him. The Dragon-hide, however, was a bit more expensive, but considering what it came from and how long they lasted, he couldn't complain.

"Harry, why don't you come and pick one?" Severus suggested. Harry was sitting looking at the posters in fascination, watching as a miniature explosion happened.

"What are they?" Harry asked, frowning as he gazed at them before looking up at his daddy.

"They are Dragon-hide wand holsters; it will stop you from losing your wand," Severus told him, and since he knew that children lost things, he would ensure that there was a summoning spell on the holster. If Harry went so many feet from it, then the wand would be summoned into its holster automatically.

"They aren't from real dragons, are they?" Harry asked, concerned in a way only a child could be.

"Yes, but they weren't harmed for it; it was donated," Severus simply said. Dragons were a protected species, after all. Harry was still too young; he wasn't going to talk about dragons dying and then being cut up for everything that could get someone money—which was the majority of the dragon, especially the teeth and, of course, the hide. This was mostly used to make armour, but the leftover hide went to make holsters.

"I like that one!" Harry stated, his teeth poking from his mouth in concentration.

"Most people like the Common Welsh Green or the Chinese Fireball; he has interesting taste," Mark said, as he pulled out the copper Peruvian Vipertooth dragon-hide holster. "Which spells would you like on it?" He had no doubt there would be spells; it was for a four-year-old child, after all.

"Automatic summoning spell when the wand is perhaps ten feet from him; an anti-summoning spell, and perhaps one to prevent others from taking it," Severus said immediately. Normally having a summoning spell and an anti-summoning spell on the same item wouldn't work, but it was a wand holster, so he was confident both would work well. "Will that work in that combination?" he asked for verification.

"It will, Septimus; you would be surprised by how many others have the same combination of spells on their own," Mark said, amused by his customer's look.

"Good," Severus said, finding it odd having someone referring to him by his made-up first name, even odder at how used to "Septimus Regis" he was becoming. He had spent thirty years of his life being called Severus Snape, after all, and it hadn't even been a year here yet.

"There we go," Mark said, once the three spells had been imbued in the holster; even a "Finite Incantatem" wouldn't remove the spells he'd just placed in it. Yes, in it, since spells reflected off dragon-hide; it was impervious to a lot of the wizards' magic, which was why armour made of dragon-hide was so coveted. "Harry, give me your arm for a second, while I fit this to you. Don't worry, it will expand as he ages; if it doesn't happen quickly enough, bring it in."

Harry did as he was asked, staring up curiously and wondering what would happen. He gasped in awe, still loving everything to do with magic as the large strap got smaller and smaller until it fitted him! Wow, it was really cool; he couldn't wait to show his friends and the wolves. His dad took his wand and placed it into the thing, and it stayed there.

"Does that feel comfortable, Harry?" Mark questioned.

"Yes sir!" Harry happily exclaimed.

"Good," Mark said, satisfied. Seeing that Severus was investigating the potion ingredients, he turned back to the four-year-old. He was such a curious child; he investigated everything around him. "Would you like to play Exploding Snap?"

Harry squealed and vigorously nodded his head, green eyes twinkling brightly.

Mark helped the child onto the stool; he remained standing as he placed a pack of Exploding Snap cards on the table. They immediately divided when he tapped the deck twice, then placed themselves in front of Mark and Harry, before automatically slipping into the middle one at a time. Both of them waited for a "double" to make an appearance, their wands at the ready to tap them when it did. Harry squealed and tapped the cards when he noticed two Bowtuckle pictures appear. Jumping when they exploded on them caused him to laugh uproariously, grinning impishly; he hadn't tapped quick enough.

"Well done!" Mark said, smiling in amusement as he handed over the won cards to the over-the-moon four-year-old. His deck was notably smaller, but he always let the children win. He wasn't one of those people who were too proud. He was a prideful man, people his age were, but not when it came to having fun with young children or winning at their expense. He was used to letting his grandchildren win as well, although he didn't get to spend as much time as he would like with them.

By the time Severus had returned with a dozen ingredients, they had been playing for over twenty minutes, and Harry had, of course, won, much to the child's obvious delight. Severus nodded his thanks silently, as he placed a new pack of cards on the counter for Harry, who obviously liked the game a great deal.

"I'll take two posters, just like the ones that are on display," Severus requested, gesturing towards them, having seen Harry looking at them in fascination. He had assumed Harry would be a bit too young for posters; he was only four years old, after all. One was an animated picture of an ingredient being thrown into a potion and the potion exploding, throwing out copious amounts of green gunk; the other was a Quidditch player flying on a broomstick. He had no idea who it was, and had no inclination to find out. He had not the slightest bit of interest in Quidditch, and that wouldn't change.

"Of course," Mark said, summoning the two posters, which were rolled up and sealed in a plastic covering to protect them.

"How much?" Severus enquired, removing his pouch and waiting patiently.

"Seventeen Galleons, ten Sickles, and twenty Knuts," Mark replied, once he'd added everything up.

"Keep the change," Severus stated, handing over eighteen Galleons; he didn't carry many Sickles or Knuts around.

"Thank you; happy holidays," Mark said, nodding with a smile.

"You as well," Severus said.

"Are we going home now, daddy?" Harry asked, as he kept up with Severus' long strides.

"Yes; we are done for today," Severus said; the only reason he had come was to get Harry a wand. He preferred to do it while it was quiet, and what quieter day was there than December 25th?

"But I brought my money with me!" Harry protested, stopping his dad in his tracks.

"And?" Severus enquired, staring down at his son curiously, watching as he began to look cagey, if such a look was possible on a four-year-old child.

"I want to get you something nice," Harry whispered, biting his lip. He didn't know what to get his daddy, but he wanted to get him something for Christmas.

Severus felt his heart constrict. "There is no need, little one; I have you, and that is all I need," Severus said honestly, kneeling down beside his son.

"But the house elves gave you something!" Harry protested, his green eyes wide and earnest.

Severus bit his tongue to stop himself from laughing; yes, the house elves had given him something. It wasn't something he would ever wear, but Harry didn't need to know that. He would never wear a jumper with a hundred different cauldrons on it; it just wasn't in his nature. The thought alone nearly made him shudder in revulsion. He was, of course, touched that they cared enough to make him something; Harry had received one with a large wolf on the front. The jumper was black, with the white wolf he was so fond of expertly stitched into it. Severus' jumper had probably taken them a long time, but even at that, nothing could make him wear it. Was Harry jealous of the house elves, that they'd been able to give him something and he had not? Was that normal child behaviour? Nothing in the book indicated as much, but he knew not everything could possibly be in the book.

"I want to get you something," Harry murmured, deeply unhappy. He loved his daddy very much, and wanted to show it. Just like his daddy showed how much he loved him by all the presents he got.

"You know what I would really like?" Severus asked, sounding conspiratorial.

"What?" Harry whispered, wide-eyed, watching his daddy closely.

"Chocolate," Severus replied. "Nothing beats a nice bar of chocolate." He missed Honeydukes chocolate, but here you couldn't get any. He didn't eat it often enough to have investigated the chocolate they had here.

"I'll get it!" Harry exclaimed, almost jumping up and down gleefully.

"Alright, one more shop," Severus said. "Then we must get ready to go to the school."

"To light a lantern?!" Harry squeaked; this time he did jump up and down in anticipation and happiness.

"That's right," Severus dryly replied, leading them over to the sweet shop. He was surprised Harry wanted to be away from the house so long; after all, he had just received ten new toys. Severus had found himself going to a Muggle market, of all places, to buy cassette tapes after Harry had bought himself a Sony Cassette player and tapes when he was on his outing with the school on a trip. Of all the things Harry could have decided to buy... he was, simply put, flummoxed. Worse still, the child continued to use it; he seemed to like the music. Of course, he made sure it was appropriate for him before allowing him even to hear it. He had flung one tape in the bin that he found very highly inappropriate; he wasn't sure if Harry knew he had done it or not, but he wasn't about to let him listen to it. So batteries had also been on his list. He often thought about tampering with magic to get them to last forever, but he didn't want to risk it. Magical and Muggle items just didn't work well together; admittedly, that was only hearsay through his school years. Perhaps he should buy another and fiddle with it ― see what happened.

"Daddy! Close your eyes!" Harry said, "You can't see what I buy!"

"Harry, you are too young to shop by yourself, but I shall refrain from looking," Severus stated firmly. He wasn't about to let Harry be done out of money; he wasn't sure how much Harry had brought with him. If he'd brought the whole lot, then it was a good amount; Harry had never used any of the money in his "bank" before. He hadn't even heard him going into it earlier; he was either becoming complacent or losing his touch.

"'Kay—I mean, okay," Harry said quickly, smiling sweetly as he took a basket and wandered around looking for sweets he had seen his daddy eat before. Three cauldron cakes went in ―his daddy liked them; sugar quills went next, and he added more for each of his house elves. His daddy liked chewing on them when he had his book in front of him while he watched a video. What else would his daddy like? He thought in wonderment as he looked around all the available sweets. He decided upon three ice mice, all green like his daddy's favourite colour. Then a few other bars went in. He didn't know their names, but he hoped his daddy liked them anyway. Giddy with excitement, he went to the nice-looking lady, letting his basket be levitated as she rounded everything up, placing them in a brown paper bag.

"One Galleon, sweetie," she said, smiling at him from over the top of the counter he couldn't quite reach.

"A gold one, Harry," Severus softly said; he knew them better by colour than name right now, but that would obviously change as he got older.

Harry grabbed a fistful of coins from his pocket, which only amounted to three, due to his small hand. He grabbed the gold one like his daddy said and put it up. Grabbing onto the bag and smiling softly when the nice lady handed it to him, he wandered back to his daddy, proudly puffing up and handing the bag to him. "Happy Christmas, daddy!" Harry said, positively beaming at Severus, pleased with his accomplishment. "I got sugar quills for the house elves too!"

"Thank you, Harry," Severus said softly, accepting the package, his hands automatically carding over Harry's head affectionately. "Now let's go home; we have nearly an hour before we have to go to the school." With that he Apparated them home, the feeling in his chest stronger than ever.

* * *

><p>"Here you go, Patter!" Harry said, handing him the sugar quill as he had done with the others. "Happy Christmas!"<p>

"Thank you, Master Harry," Patter said, his eyes wide in astonishment. They didn't get gifts, period.

Harry just beamed and wandered back to his dad, jumping up on the couch beside him before gleefully settling down to watch one of his new videos. It was cartoons this time, not a film like E.T.— which he still loved and watched often. The house elves always squeaked when they saw ET on the screen, and it always made Harry giggle loudly. Tom & Jerry, Harry quickly found himself really liking his new cartoon as he laughed uproariously at the things that happened, both characters thinking they had gotten one over on the other, only to find themselves back where they'd started.

"I see you like it," Severus said, finding himself looking up every time Harry found something amusing.

"I really do!" Harry declared, eagerly.

"Good," Severus said, returning back to his book, but keeping an eye on the time. Once again he found himself wondering why he had agreed to this... oh yes; he was going utterly bloody soft. Truth be told, he liked Talin. He was always amusing to talk to, and the wizard had helped them without any strings attached, and still did. He was a decent man; there weren't many of them, and so he would help him through this tough time. He wouldn't admit it, but he liked having another adult around, especially one his own age (even if he didn't look it). He was genuinely surprised that the wizard would give someone who looked like a nineteen-year-old boy the time of day. He did, though, and as much as he loved Harry, it was nice having a proper adult conversation from time to time.

"Is lighting a lantern like a candle to remember mummy and dad?" Harry asked, once his cartoons were finished, much to his disappointment.

"Something like that," Severus said softly.

"What does that mean, daddy?" Harry asked, cocking his head to the side, not understanding what "something like that" meant.

"It is a mark of the beginning of the celebration of Christmas," Severus said, "But in many religions it has other meanings. We could, if you like, use that time to remember your mum and dad. I am sure others there will be thinking of people they've loved and lost at this time of year too."

Harry nodded; he understood most of what his daddy had said.

"Why don't you go and get our lanterns; we will head there now," Severus stated, putting his book aside and standing up. He could smell food being cooked and wondered if the house elves were going overboard as they always did with food.

"Okay!" Harry said, scrambling down from the couch and heading to the cupboard under the stairs where his daddy had put the lanterns they'd bought a few days ago. By the time he'd returned to the living room, Severus had a present in his hand. It was for Talin; it was proper to give a gift after being invited to dinner, after all. A rare bottle of wine... he just hoped the wizard drank it; it was too good to be wasted, that was for certain.

"Put your jumper on," Severus said, helping his son into it; there was a little nip in the air. "Let's go."

The five-minute walk there was spent staring up at the sky, on Harry's part mostly. It seemed as though others had already lit their lanterns and let them go. The sky was completely overwhelmed with flickering flames with white lanterns encompassing them. It seemed they all had the same colour, which did come as a surprise. He spotted Talin and his two sons waiting at the gate; the relief on Talin's face surprised him immensely when he spotted them. Did he think because Lily was gone that he understood what he was going through? He hoped not, because he hadn't loved Lily as one would love his wife. No, Lily's love had been a platonic love, even if he had been deeply possessive of her. But she'd been his only friend; it was little wonder that he'd always wanted her to himself. He could never understand how Talin felt, not really, so he hoped to Merlin he wasn't being expected to.

"Good evening," Talin said, smiling at them. The smile was a little brittle around the edges. His two sons were with him; they seemed a little clingy, but after what they'd been through, it certainly wasn't a surprise.

"Yes, it seems to be, doesn't it?" Severus said, gesturing towards the lanterns.

"Yes, yes it does," Talin said in agreement, his smile becoming a bit more genuine. "I hope you don't mind a restaurant for today; I'm afraid my cooker decided it didn't want to work, today of all days—with the turkey half-cooked. Everyone else I know was using theirs, so there was absolutely no way to finish cooking it." He looked decidedly put out; the last thing he really wanted was to go to a restaurant, but he had little choice now.

"How about dinner at our house?" Severus asked, meaning himself and Harry. It would afford them some privacy and probably allow them actually to talk and not have to listen to other people's drunken laughter or shouting. That wasn't an environment he wanted Harry being surrounded by; he knew what it was like to see people drunk, and it wasn't a nice experience. "I'm sure the house elves can whip something up for us without a problem."

"Are you sure?" Talin asked, pleasantly surprised, and he really liked the sound of it.

"Of course; I wouldn't have asked, otherwise," Severus responded dryly, causing Talin to laugh softly; he liked the normality of the conversation. Most people wouldn't stop giving him condolences; it was something he was keen to avoid.

"Then yes, please, I would like it very much," Talin said firmly.

"Heather?" Severus called, waiting patiently for his house elf to show up.

"Yes, Master Regis?" Heather said, a twinkle in her eye as if she was aware of secrets others were not.

"There has been a sudden change of plans; we will have dinner at our house tonight, with three guests. Make what you can; I'm sure it will be delicious," Severus told her.

"Yes, Master Regis, we will be doing that," Heather said before popping away, no doubt to inform the others of the change of plan.

"I never thought of asking the house elves," Talin admitted, feeling like whacking his forehead in exasperation.

Severus just smirked in reply, turning to look for Harry and finding him playing with Talin's sons, quite contently still holding onto the lanterns.

"The fireworks start in five minutes; if you wish to light the lanterns, I'd suggest doing it now," Talin said with his normal confidence.

"Harry, come over here," Severus said, crouching down and opening the lanterns, banishing the packaging before tapping them both with his wand. They suddenly became more like lanterns instead of being flat. Harry held onto his tightly.

"Would you like to light it?" Severus offered.

"Yes!" Harry exclaimed, knowing he was being allowed to do magic. Clumsily he shoved his jumper aside and removed his wand from his new holster.

"Remember, never play with fire; if I find out you have, I will take your wand away until you're twenty-one," Severus said seriously, before helping Harry hold his wand correctly, and placing his wand and hand in the appropriate place to cast the spell. "Now repeat after me: _Incendio_," Severus said, adding the proper spell's phrase. His own lantern flickered to life; almost automatically he let it go, watching it momentarily drift upwards, before he focused on his son once more, making sure nothing untoward happened.

"Remember, it's in-SEN-dee-o," Severus said, saying the spell the way it was pronounced.

"Incendio!" Harry parroted, puffing out proudly when it worked. He too let go of his lantern, watching it drift towards the sky. He continued to do so even as his daddy put his wand back in its holster on his forearm.

"Well done," Severus said; he was no longer so worried about Harry's learning magic so early in life. These people wouldn't do it if it harmed their children. If anything, the British magical world held back the greater potential in its students by making them wait until they were eleven. The fact that his four-year-old son had just cast a spell they didn't learn until they were eleven just proved it.

"I can see he's going to sail through his first year," Talin said, impressed, but no longer surprised after what he had seen of Harry's magic already.

"Yes, yes he will, but all things considered I am glad to be here, where his education is taken the most seriously," Severus replied.

Sudden bangs penetrated the air around them; Harry jumped and pointed, squealing as he saw the first of the fireworks display. Severus picked Harry up and placed him on his hip so he could see better. With so many adults around him, he was surprised Harry hadn't asked to be picked up before this. "Pretty!" Harry gasped, watching the red and gold fireworks; they looked as if they were coming towards him.

"Just wait," Severus amusedly said.

"A dragon! A dragon!" Harry shrieked, as the fireworks moved in tandem, letting out an inaudible roar to its audience. Even the breathing of fire looked real; Harry was blown away. He was speechless during the rest of the ten-minute display; the fireworks reflected in his green eyes as he gazed at them, mesmerised.

"Why isn't there more?" Harry pouted, as he saw everyone beginning to leave and no further fireworks were put on display.

Severus chuckled in amusement; it had definitely been worth coming, even if his ear felt like it had been blasted off by Harry's screeching. The two adults and three children moved off, making their way to Severus' home. They were ready for something to eat, at least the children were. Unfortunately, they would need to wait a while longer before they could eat; the house elves were good, but they were not miracle-workers. As it normally did, it took only five minutes for them to walk home. The wards let Talin and his children in, since Severus had invited them there.

"Dad, can we go play Exploding Snap?" Harry asked, staring at his dad hopefully as the front door was closed.

"You may, but I want your bedroom in the same condition it is in now, or you will clean it up before you sleep tonight," Severus warned. He didn't want to clean up a ransacked bedroom, with or without magic.

"I promise," Harry solemnly said.

"Good, go on then," Severus said, allowing the three of them to scramble up the stairs, the two older boys following Harry since they didn't know where his room was.

"Here, Happy Christmas; it was meant to be a thank-you gift, for your gracious invitation," Severus said wryly, handing the bottle of wine over that had been in his hand since he'd left their house earlier.

"Thank you," Talin said, surprised. Opening the box his eyes widened in appreciation. "You shouldn't have!" he gasped.

"I see you have an appreciation for fine wines," Severus stated, hanging up his cloak and giving his guest an amused smirk.

"I do, thank you," Talin repeated.

"No problem," Severus dryly replied.

Just then Dobby popped into the room, but he was not alone ― no, someone had leapt onto his teleportation.

"Sirius Black is a bad wizard!" Dobby snapped, glaring at Sirius, not having seen the others yet.

"SNAPE?!" Sirius rasped, eyes agog, staring at the wizard, utterly shocked.

Severus closed his eyes, dread spreading through him like wild fire. WHAT. THE. HELL. DID. HE. DO. NOW?!

Talin gaped at the sight in shock trying to understand what the hell was happening.

* * *

><p>Big thanks to Jake and Jordre for editing this :)<p> 


	27. Chapter 27

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 27 **

**Explanations **

* * *

><p>Severus used every curse word he knew under his breath, and it was a considerable list. Why had he not used the necklace the Goblins had given him? Oh yes, because he hadn't expected anyone to find him here, and certainly not anyone that could recognize him in his de-aged state. So of course, Sirius Black had to be the one to screw everything up. Just after getting comfortable, with Harry happy and settled in, he was going to have to move again. He was extremely pissed off; even imprisoned, Sirius Black could screw things up for him. It was as if he was destined to be bloody miserable. Severus quickly fired off a spell at Black; it hit its target. Whether the wizard was getting extra food or not, he still had to endure the presence of the Dementors, which would mentally and magically weaken him. Black stood no chance against him, who was as healthy as ever. Sirius' eyes glazed over as Severus' <em>Obliviate<em> took effect. Severus gave Dobby a look, and the creature seemed to know what to do without his master's needing to say anything. The house elf grabbed onto Black, and they both disappeared. It was hard to believe all of that had only taken mere seconds.

Severus turned to face Talin, his black eyes filled with fire and fatigue; he couldn't let the wizard remember what had happened. The doors slammed shut, preventing the visiting wizard from being able to get out before he did what he had to do. The wards must have sensed his desires, since he himself hadn't used a spell to close them in.

Snape? Talin wondered, There was only one Snape he was familiar with, but this couldn't be him. He was a Professor at Hogwarts, and childless at that. His mind supplied the similarities between them: potions, he was a Master in potions… but that didn't explain everything. This man had to be a son; nothing else made sense. So why would a man in his thirties know who this young man was? He would have been fifteen or thereabouts when Sirius Black was imprisoned. Septimus himself said that he was home schooled, unless of course he knew Sirius Black from his home life. Talin knew good and well who Sirius Black was; his arrest had been on every single wizarding channel, with it being so closely related to the fact that "You-Know-Who," some sort of Dark wizard, had finally been killed. Sirius Black had been arrested for fifteen counts of murder: thirteen Non-magical people ―they called them Muggles in wizarding Britain― and a wizard, as well as a witch. Talin stepped back, his heart pounding like a drum as he sensed the danger of the situation he was in now.

"An Obliviate won't work on me, Septimus. I am an Occlumens, just as you are; you know what that means," Talin said, his hand raised cautiously. He didn't dare draw his wand; he'd seen how fast Regis used that Obliviate spell on Sirius Black. He didn't fancy having that happen to him; whatever this secret was…it was obviously dire enough that he would risk a prison sentence to keep it uncovered. "I can tell by your stance that you are ready to run; don't. If you run now, you will continue to do so for the rest of your life. Harrison deserves better than that; you know he does. You took your son without being his legal guardian, didn't you?"

Severus chuckled in bitter amusement. "If it was only that simple," he revealed to Talin, knowing he was worrying the wizard but unable to do anything about it. Harry came first; unfortunately there were only a few other things he could do, especially if he couldn't Obliviate Talin. He had a few choices; he could trust him, tell him everything, and make him swear an Unbreakable oath, or tell him nothing, force him to swear a vow, and lose a potential friend, who would more than likely have Harry expelled from the school. Both of these choices left a rotten taste in his mouth. Honestly, he didn't know what the hell to do. Damn Sirius Black and his stupid impetuous behaviour; it was Christmas Day, for Merlin's sake. He should stop Dobby from going to Azkaban; his school nemesis would deserve nothing less for forcing him to do this. He would never find another school like this one, ever, at least not with English being the commonly spoken language. He didn't want to go to a foreign country where he would have to learn a new language.

"Is someone after you?" Talin asked as he wondered why he wasn't drawing his wand. Why wasn't he even attempting to defend himself? But he knew the answer to that: it was because he knew Septimus Regis was a good man. If Regis had wanted to kill him, he would already have done it; no, despite the way this situation was going, he knew Septimus was an honourable man. Was it Severus Snape that was after his son and grandson? Albeit he would have had to be extremely young, thirteen or fourteen years old, Septimus had been born, if his thoughts were correct. Snape was currently at Hogwarts in Scotland, so it surely couldn't be he they were running from. "Has it got anything to do with the death of the Dark wizard in the UK?"

Severus shivered slightly at how close Talin's guesses were; it was bloody scary when one thought about it. He would have given anything to read the wizard's thoughts right now; for a wizard practically being held hostage he was calm... too calm. It was exactly what he would be doing, remaining relaxed and waiting for a way out to present itself, or until he had to fight, and then fighting with everything in him. There was a lot of him in Talin; perhaps that was why they got along so well. Both of them were similar in certain ways. Both of them had had expectations and duties thrust upon them, without anyone asking first whether the hell it was wanted. He felt the wards shift slightly; Dobby was back, and hopefully nobody would have noticed Black's departure and return to Azkaban.

"Sit down," Severus finally sighed, gesturing to one of the seats. He didn't want to move again, and he certainly didn't want to hurt Talin. He'd caused enough pain and death during his Death Eater days; he didn't think he had it in him to kill someone, especially someone who wasn't guilty of anything other than making him feel welcome. That was something that was rare for Severus; Lily had been the only other person to do that. All the other children in Spinner's End had avoided him; it had been the same at Hogwarts. As an adult he was much too sarcastic and caustic for people to wish to spend more than five minutes in his company. "I need a wizard's oath from you, that anything we discuss today will never be revealed to anyone."

Talin sat down, watching Septimus do the same thing; he wasn't surprised by his demands. It made him cautious, but undeniably curious as well. It was obviously something big Septimus was running from, and he swore he would do anything he could to help him. Carefully he removed his wand from his wrist holster, aware that Septimus was watching his every move warily. He had sensed when they first met that Regis wasn't a people's person, and the day at the party, how he'd watched over Harrison…he had been constantly vigilant. It should have rung alarm bells. Was anything he had been told about Harrison's history true? Were the people who hurt his son just too powerful in the magical world to be taken to justice?

"I solemnly swear an oath on my magic that anything we discuss here tonight shall never leave my lips unless it's between us; so mote it be," Talin swore, his wand raised and at his heart; magic sparked between them, sealing Talin to his word. If he should ever try to break it, he would lose his magic, something no wizard would ever want; magic was their entire life.

Severus relaxed. Whether he lost him as a friend this night or not, he would at least know they were safe from detection, although that oath wouldn't stop Talin from making their lives extremely uncomfortable here if he chose to. Now it was just a question of how much he should tell him. Perhaps it would be better to find out what he thought he knew before revealing any information. "What is your opinion on what happened here?" Severus asked, staring at his visitor with interest.

"I do not know; I only have my suspicions, but I have a feeling that what you reveal will make those suppositions seem silly," Talin said, his lips twitching in ironic amusement. "What I do know, however, is that I would really like a drink before we begin."

Severus tipped his head to the side, conceding the point, but before he could do anything, a house elf popped in with a corkscrew and two wine glasses. Severus really would have preferred Firewhisky right now, but he needed his wits around him for what was to come. He was just so glad Harry hadn't been here when Black popped in; he could only imagine how much worse it would have been then. If Harry had recognized him…or if Black had recognised the boy and tried to get to him... There were so many ways it could have happened, although he would have really appreciated it if he had been alone when Black had appeared. That way he could have dealt with it, and things could have automatically gone back to normal. Of course, there was the possibility that Black could have knocked Dobby out and remained in his home until they got back…perhaps it had been for the best. He poured the wine into the glasses, using the bottle he had just gifted Talin with.

"Ask your questions," Severus said, swirling the wine around in his glass and preparing himself for what was to come.

"Why did he call you Snape? Is it your real last name? Are you Severus Snape's son?" Talin asked.

Severus choked, almost causing the wine to spill everywhere, but he managed to swallow it despite his protesting throat. He couldn't really blame the man for thinking that; he didn't have much information to go on. Silly indeed, no wonder he had elected not to share his suspicions on what was going on. "No, I am in fact Severus Snape," Severus stated calmly. It felt odd feeling the name on his tongue again; he had gotten used to saying he was Septimus Regis.

"How is that possible? From the information I gathered about Hogwarts, you are currently the Potions Master!" Talin exclaimed, denying that it was possible. That school was completely lacking in providing a decent education: new Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers every year; no Wandless magic classes; no Muggle classes, unless you counted the "Muggle studies" class, which wasn't enough truly to educate children on everything they needed to know about fitting in. The holidays were all Muggle in nature, though; nothing was taught about the history of Magic; Samhain and every important celebration was ignored. It was the most disgustingly lacking school he'd ever heard about. Eleven years old before they began their formal magical education, with nothing before that; the children in the UK were being denied their basic rights. He did have to admit the teachers they did have more than a year at a time were more than adequate. Most were Masters in their own subjects, although Filius Flitwick seemed to be the only one immersed in his Charms Mastery, creating new spells and becoming the duelling champion for another year running.

"I am, or rather I was," Severus said. "A terrible injustice happened, one I felt responsible for, and the goblins revealed a way for me to come back in time. I had to correct what would happen, to change what is, while at the same time stopping any ruptures from happening."

"The goblins found a way?" Talin asked, his eyes wide; either this wizard was insane, and he truly believed what he was saying…or it was all true. Talin was inclined to believe it was true; who would honestly make up a story this extraordinary? Still, he couldn't help but feel a tad bit sceptical. Time travel was possible, sure, but only for hours at a time.

"They did indeed," Severus confirmed, sipping his wine and regarding Talin curiously, watching those eyes fill with wonder, scepticism, and confusion. "I swear on my magic that everything I am telling you is the truth; so mote it be." Magic filled the room once more as Severus flicked his wand out of its holster once more and lit the end of it, proving that he was indeed telling nothing but the truth.

"De-aging potion?" Talin guessed; it explained why he was really well-spoken for his claimed age.

Severus nodded curtly.

"What happened that they would risk it becoming common knowledge?" Talin asked. He was sitting across from a time-traveller! How far in the future was he from? He could make millions if he wanted to, creating potions, spells, and things that weren't his, and playing the market, putting bets on things he knew were going to win. Yet he was here, living an un-extraordinary life! Was anyone else aware of what had happened, or was he the first person besides the goblins that knew? How long had he been in the past? And was Harrison really his son? Of course he was, it was obvious…had he been able to save his son earlier? But that would mean the Severus Snape of right now would never find his son, and so he would be changing the future anyway. "You saved your son, didn't you? But that's causing a rift in time, isn't it? I mean, the other you won't get the chance to save him."

"What I told you about Harrison was only a half-truth," Severus replied. "Truth be told, in the other timeline, he was already dead."

Talin gasped, his face contorting in horror as he stared at the wizard before him. He was just beginning to understand at least a little about Septimus…no, Severus. That sweet little boy had died? Why? Was it truly Muggles? And why were they prepared to risk so much? It sounded callous, even to him, and it made him sick, but why would they risk everything for one child?

"Have you ever heard of the story about the Boy Who Lived?" Severus sneered, his lip curling in disgust at the name they'd coined for his son.

"Vaguely; it was on the news a few years ago, about a child that had survived an attack when his family perished," Talin said. "It was about the same time as Sirius Black was arrested and the Dark wizard was defeated. I guess that Harrison was that child? He lost his mother and stepfather in the attack?"

"It wasn't as simple as that, although I wish it were," Severus admitted, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "What I said about myself was true: my father was a Muggle, and my mother was a pureblood witch. I hated Muggles; I believed they were inferior to us. I joined the Dark Lord as a teenager, believing he was right, that Muggles should never know about us. Growing up with a father who liked to take his frustrations out on me and my mother, it was inevitable, really. It was only after I joined that I realized what I had gotten myself into, and it wasn't as if I could just hand in my resignation and leave. In 1980 I was given new orders, to get close to Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, one of the most powerful wizards in the UK. He was the only wizard that the Dark Lord feared."

Talin nodded; in his opinion Dumbledore was a weak Headmaster, and he had let the students in his school down.

"I followed him to the Hog's Head, a pub, where he was seeing Sybill Trelawney for the position of Divination Professor. While there, I overhead the beginning of a prophecy; I stupidly told the Dark Lord what I overheard. It was barely out of my mouth before he began planning on killing a then-unborn child. That still didn't give me the push I needed; no, it was the fact he was going after the one childhood friend I ever had and her son. I went to Dumbledore and told him everything; he, however, wanted more from me. I was to spy, and he would keep them safe," Severus explained with disgust in his voice.

"He forced you to spy?" Talin frowned; he truly was beginning to dislike this Headmaster, and not just on an educational level.

"Indeed, but my measures were for nothing; they used the Fidelius Charm, and they were betrayed," Severus said.

"Sirius Black?" Talin guessed.

"No, something that only came to light later," Severus corrected his assumption. "We all assumed it was him; he was sentenced to Azkaban Prison for life, without a trial, for murdering thirteen Muggles as well as his two best friends, James and Lily Potter. Harry was only fifteen months old when it happened; during the chaos of that night he was carted off to his only remaining family…his Muggle aunt, in order to preserve the blood protection his mother had bestowed upon Harry by dying in order to protect him."

"Without a trial?" Talin muttered, his abhorrence obvious. He swore to himself never to visit magical Britain; it was so primeval. Did they not keep up-to-date on the Non-magical changes? It was illegal to lock someone up without first proving that person had committed a crime. He hoped Sirius Black sued them for everything and left them without a two Knuts to rub together.

"He wasn't the only one. Many people were locked up that night; the Minister of Magic at the time was under immense pressure from the public to deal with the Death Eaters," Severus confessed. "The Transfiguration teacher, Minerva McGonagall, would routinely ask Albus Dumbledore if Harry was all right. She believed he was living with the 'worst sort of Muggles,' and he would always reply that Harry was fine; he was supposedly visiting him once a year…."

"Wait, why didn't WSS keep an eye on him? They should have routinely visited, especially when he started showing signs of doing magic," Talin objected, cutting Severus off.

"WSS?" Severus asked blankly.

"Wizarding Social Services; a representative is always attached to a case where a magical child is placed with Non-magical guardians, even once they start school. I have sixteen students right now who have a magical representative and Non-magical guardians," Talin stated, feeling extremely pissed off. It was little wonder they had bloody left. Why so many people stayed was beyond him! He would need to research further, find out more.

"There isn't a department that deals with that in the British Ministry," Severus admitted. "It is very archaic there, or so I am coming to realize while living here."

"That…is madness," Talin said in disproval.

Severus nodded, feeling the same way. "When he didn't show up for Hogwarts on September the first ―he was supposed to be eleven by then― myself, the Headmaster, and the Deputy Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall, all went to retrieve him," Severus stated, not even considering touching on the subject of his thoughts at that time. He would never let anyone else know, either. It shamed him even to think about it; it was unbearable.

"Is that when it was uncovered?" Talin asked, not sure if he wanted to hear more about this. He had a son near Harrison's age, and knowing that the child had died was knowledge enough without knowing how.

"It is; the Headmaster led us to where Harry had been left, to find a family of strangers living in the house. The woman there told us that the previous occupants had been arrested and closed the door before anyone could question her further. It turned out Dumbledore had had someone watching out for Harry, supposedly, a Squib by the name of Arabella Figg. She too was not there; Albus and Minerva went back to Hogwarts to find out where Harry was staying; they would be going through the acceptance letters. I was ordered to find out at the police station what had happened, why they were arrested. Or rather, why Petunia had been arrested; Albus had failed to digest the 'they' in the sentence the Muggle spoke," Severus continued, his voice changing, showing how affected he was by what had happened even now.

"Dear Merlin," Talin murmured, gulping down the remains of his wine, as Severus absently filled both glasses back up.

"It was there that I found out what had become of Harry, and saw the crime scene pictures along with it," Severus said, grimacing as he remembered. "They had starved and abused him from the second he ended up in their care; he was barely past his third birthday when he died. I took a copy of the file back to Hogwarts, and had the duty to inform everyone of what had happened."

"But Dumbledore visited each year; how could he possibly not know?" Talin asked; it was inconceivable to him that any Headmaster would neglect his duties.

"He lied. I doubt he even ventured near Privet Drive after that Halloween night," Severus said, confirming Talin's suspicions.

"What about his parent's friends? Surely someone would have visited!" Talin objected, closing his eyes at the inexpressible horror.

Severus chuckled bitterly, "No, but they showed up for the funeral, utterly destroyed." His mind flashed to Remus Lupin and the utter wreck he had been, even with Black freed. He made no excuses for them, certainly not, especially considering they didn't have one themselves.

"Why didn't you? You say his mother was your best friend…whether you knew or not that he was your son," Talin demanded.

Severus stared at the glass, not able to meet Talin's eyes. He did not want to lie, nor did he want to tell the truth. Quite a dilemma, yet for better or for worse, he was an honest man, when he wasn't faced with the Dark Lord and potential death if he said the wrong thing. "Harry's father, James Potter... we did not get on, in fact we were schoolboy enemies, before we even reached the school. I loathed him, and I hated the fact that Lily had ended up with him. I felt nothing towards the child at that time. During the years I kept up my appearance of being a spy, treating the children at Hogwarts with disdain…I lost myself to it, becoming a person I am not proud of, instead of doing it because I must. I received a rather large wake-up call when Harry died," Severus said honestly.

"Wait, his father? I thought you were?" Talin said, becoming increasingly agitated with all the new information that left him feeling completely rattled.

"We will get to that," Severus stated, putting the glass down. "The Dark Lord was much worse than just a Dark Wizard; he was moments away from gaining complete control of Magical Britain, The Ministry, Hogwarts... and if they were overthrown, the public would have had no choice but to conform or die. When Lily died for Harry, she did more than just save her son…she saved the magical world from going to hell. The entire world deemed Harry a hero, put him on a pedestal despite the fact they had never seen him. Then they found out he was dead…the outcry was greater than you could ever imagine. Nearly everyone magical was at his funeral, grieving for their lost hero. He was a symbol of hope, faith, and renewal; he inspired people by just being alive."

"I see," said Talin, but he didn't really; he felt as though something was missing; it must have something to do with the prophecy, perhaps?

"There is something the public didn't know…when the Dark Lord was defeated, he didn't die; he fled the Potter home reduced to a spirit. If he returns, Harry will be expected to fight him again. At least according to Dumbledore, and I don't think you need me to explain how far Albus Dumbledore is willing to go to see it through," Severus grimly said. "When the truth came out, he tried to cover up his failures; if he hadn't had a heart attack when he did, I'm sure we would have been Obliviated, or at least he would have tried to, in my case."

"This is why time was meddled with? Just to ensure a child survived to turn him into a weapon?" Talin grimaced, finding himself disgusted with the wizard in front of him.

"No. The goblins did it because they felt at fault; Harry was never supposed to end up with the Dursleys under any circumstances. Lily had a list of people whom she wanted her son to grow up with; she never wanted her son near her sister. The Goblins were made to believe the wills had been read, when in fact they hadn't been; with all the chaos, nobody questioned it," Severus said honestly. "Lily wanted me to be part of her son's life; she didn't believe that Sirius Black was mature enough to do it by himself, despite being his godfather."

Talin deflated at that pronouncement. Goblins were the same all over; he didn't doubt that statement at all. "You aren't his biological father at all, are you?"

"I am now; a potion I created gives a child a third parent. Harry is my son in every way," Severus sharply stated. "I will admit I did act solely out of guilt at first, but I came to love him, and I will die before I allow anyone to hurt him," he added possessively.

"What happens when they find out he didn't die?" Talin asked.

"They will think he died; I put a golem in his place. The events will have followed the timeline. I had to; otherwise I wouldn't have come back in time, and thus a paradox would ensue," Severus said.

"They're in prison for killing a golem?" Talin asked, feeling the irony.

"Not only the golem; the squib we couldn't find, Arabella, she died by Petunia's hands. I couldn't save her," Severus said in disgust.

"You aren't responsible for saving everyone, Severus. It's an impossible task, and you cannot blame yourself for that," Talin said.

Severus twitched, finding his name coming from Talin to be extremely odd. "Call me Septimus," Severus requested quietly.

"So what age are you really? And how much does Harry know?" Talin asked.

"Thirty-three. Harry knows nothing of this; he knows I wasn't his biological father; he accepted the potion and became my blood son," Severus said. "I know he will have to be told at some point; I just hope he can forgive me when that time comes," he added solemnly.

"He adores you; I've never seen a child look at a parent the way he looks at you. Continue to raise him right, and I think you'll find he will not even care," Talin calmly stated.

"One can only hope," Severus said.

"Will you be returning to the UK once time reinserts itself?" Talin asked curiously.

"For a short time; there are people there who deserve to know the truth. I cannot in good conscience allow them to continue to believe Harry is dead," Severus said honestly.

"I suppose not," Talin reluctantly agreed, biting back the retort that they didn't seem to care until he died, which wasn't really fair.

Severus opened his mouth, about to speak when the door opened. He turned to face his son and the two boys. "What's the matter?"

"Is dinner ready? I'm hungry," Harry said, his green eyes gazing into his daddy's expectantly.

"You may, just this once, get a biscuit each; only one," Severus said pointedly, knowing Harry would try to sneak another if he was given half a chance.

Harry half pouted before grinning widely, as the three of them scampered off towards the kitchen.

"If you ever need someone to talk to, I am willing to lend an ear," Talin said watching his sons follow Harry into the other room. It was the most contented he'd seen them, even Alex, who was a bit older than the other two.

"Is your daughter well?" Severus asked.

"She had made plans before her mother… got sick; I told her she was better off going, at least that way she could grieve. She's trying to be strong for Jaden and Alejandro, and if she manages to enjoy Christmas, all the better. I don't really want any of my children out of my sight, but I cannot allow myself to use them as a crutch," Talin sighed, the strain showing through his cracking façade.

"Especially not with her being a teenager," Severus said; his voice had a slight teasing note to it.

Talin laughed softly, nodding in agreement.

"Heather said dinner will be done in ten minutes!" Harry exclaimed, reentering the room and climbing up beside his dad.

"Harry, don't speak with your mouth full!" Severus admonished, using a finger to close Harry's mouth. It was odd; he felt liberated, there was no pretence between Talin and him, and he was no longer doing this alone. Well, he was; he just didn't need to keep it all locked up inside himself.

"It does smell delicious," Talin admitted, allowing his own son, Jaden, to climb onto his knee, something he hadn't done since he was three. He was looking for comfort, and that was something Talin would gladly give him. Alejandro didn't know how to react, and Talin knew sooner or later he was going to explode with so many conflicting emotions running through him. Eight years old. What a time to lose a parent... but it could be argued that it was never a good time to lose someone you loved. The suddenness of her failing health hadn't helped; potions and magic had failed her, but his only consolation was that she hadn't been in pain when she passed away.

"Indeed," Severus wryly said, relaxing completely. Well, Black had been good for something after all…who would have guessed?

* * *

><p>Big thanks to Jake and Jordre for editing this :)<p> 


	28. Chapter 28

Fixing Past Mistakes

**Chapter 28 **

**A Year Passes **

* * *

><p>"That would not work," Severus stated, eyeing the other potion master in amusement. He was the polar opposite from him: outgoing, happy, and easily amused, and he loved expanding his limits beyond what was thought possible. Normally, people like that aggravated him beyond endurance five minutes after meeting them. Yet Nathan's intelligence was right up there next to his, and it wasn't often he found people with that kind of mind. He had been coming to the school regularly this year, at appointed times, of course, when at least one of the Potions professors wasn't working. He had come to see Nathan a few times while Jason was working, and to see the five-year-olds brewing, and that had blown his mind. Knowing it was going on, and seeing it happening, were two completely different things. True to Talin's word, there were assistants at each table, watching three students each, as well as the main teacher demonstrating what they were to do at the front of the lab. He'd only seen them brewing once; the other times leading up to that had just been properly dealing with the specified ingredients. "You should use a silver knife to squeeze the juice out; it makes the potion more effective," he added absently, watching him brew.<p>

"It would?" Nathan questioned, the stainless steel knife that had been sharpened hovering over the bean a moment longer before being placed on the table. "What other experimenting do you do?" he added, impressed. How the hell did this wizard have so much time to create potions AND make already-existing potions better? He didn't have the time to fully work on creating potions until summer, and he didn't have a child of his own to tend to. He knew about Septimus' child, Harrison, not just because he taught him, but because the child was very curious about everything, and knew what he was doing with his ingredients. It was obvious Harrison had been watching his father at work.

"Hand over a piece of paper and that pen," Severus requested, holding his hand out. Yes, they used a lot of Muggle items here; he no longer found that particularly odd. In fact, he took his hat off to them; things were so amazing here compared to Britain that if he'd had plans on going back any time soon ― he would have found himself inclined to change his mind. No, he had been lost ever since he'd first heard about the school, and had read its reviews; it truly was the better school. Merlin, a few years ago he would have bitten off his tongue before thinking he'd ever say that and actually believe it.

"Here," Nathan said, handing over a spiral notebook opened to a blank page; a pen was jammed in the spirals.

Severus nodded before he began to write hastily but legibly. He didn't stop at one version that had been committed to memory; he wrote four down with alternative recipes. That was when his hands began to cramp, but he was sure the Potions Master wouldn't like him messing up their books by writing in them like he did his. He handed the pad over without a word as he stretched out his hand, getting rid of the cramp, while Nathan read what Severus had written.

"Of course; have you ever considered re-writing the books? Not just the recipes, but writing why things need to be done a certain way? Your son understands, so you obviously converse with him about it in a way he can comprehend," Nathan said. "It's something I've often considered but…it would have been a simple explanation on how best to prepare potion ingredients, not something like this… I'm sure Talin would commission you to work on it, and each year they would be buying the book. It would certainly be something that would always earn money for your family for generations to come. Not that you need it, but one never knows what is around the corner."

Severus arched an eyebrow thoughtfully, "They really should discover that on their own."

"Are you asking that of Harrison?" Nathan enquired.

"No, but he is very observant, and questions everything I do and why I do it a particular way." Severus replied, wondering where Nathan was going with this.

"Do you imagine he is alone in his inquisitiveness when it comes to Potions?" Nathan continued, determined to convince Septimus to go ahead. He was not just a Potions Master; he had so many ideas, and had done so much that it was almost inconceivable that he was so young. He must have loved potions from the very beginning.

"In my experience? Yes," Severus conceded.

"He isn't; I spend most of my time telling students why. Going by this, and the fact you wrote it all out without needing any written recipes, you could have it out before next year," Nathan coaxed, gesturing towards the paper Septimus had written on. "Merlin, I doubt it would take you three months! Maybe I should convince you to teach a few classes, just to see for yourself."

Severus snorted. "Not a chance," he said firmly; he'd done his fair share of teaching, and never wanted to again.

"Worth a try," Nathan admitted, grinning in amusement. Septimus wasn't exactly a people's person. He was interesting, though he never really revealed much about himself. He was smart, as he proved time and time again; Septimus made him feel like he had things still to learn about Potions when he did things like this. As soon as lunch was on, he was definitely trying out the recipes ― he wanted to know just how different they would actually be.

"Even subtlety won't work on me," Severus said, smirking deviously.

"I've noticed," Nathan conceded, shrugging slightly. "About the book?" he added, sounding hopeful.

"I'll think about it; it's not something I've ever really considered before…but you do have a point. If they make it more self-explanatory, it will mean fewer accidents waiting to happen," Severus said.

"I'll have you know we don't have students being hurt," Nathan protested in wry amusement, not the slightest bit upset by what Septimus said, knowing it wasn't personal, just a general observation.

"It's a miracle, really," Severus replied sardonically.

"What's a miracle?" Jason asked coming into the room, his hands full of papers and a few books trailing behind him. As he moved over to his desk, the books floated down onto it as he removed his black teaching robe. His messy blonde hair was pulled back in a neat ponytail, keeping it from the fumes and the potions themselves. Most of the time Severus saw him his hair was down, so it still surprised Severus to see him looking smart. Jason's hair was very long, touching his backside; it reminded him of Lucius, only that was where the similarities ended. Jason was open and friendly; he didn't have a sarcastic bone in his body, and Severus doubted he'd ever hurt a soul in his life.

"Just trying to convince Septimus here that he should write new books for the students," Nathan told Jason, his feet thumping onto his desk as he balanced his chair on two legs.

"Why would he want to do that?" Jason asked, his voice filled with amusement.

"Here, look at this. He did that in the space of three minutes, without looking at a book," Nathan confided, handing over the paper and watching Jason closely, wondering what he would think about it. Now, Potions Masters were good at remembering recipes, especially when it came to brewing one frequently. His first instinct should be to follow the book; the fact he didn't need to spoke volumes about how long ago he had made the changes.

"Interesting, Septimus; you changed the recipes…why?" Jason enquired, putting the pad of paper down and staring at him curiously.

"It's just something I did. When my potions instructor asked me to brew the potions, I worked a way around them," Severus said, shrugging his shoulders, not seeing anything extraordinary in what he had done.

"Instinctively, or did you take a while to figure it out?" Jason asked eagerly.

"Bit of both, but it was always fun; I used the books to write down the improved recipe, something I picked up from my mother," Severus said honestly. Back in the days of her Hogwarts education, his mother Eileen had had the same habit as he, writing in her book and changing things to suit her needs. That was what had given him his idea; it was mostly during his fourth through seventh years that he'd done it.

"Is she a Potions Mistress?" Nathan enquired, his hand sliding into his desk drawer and bringing out a pile of paperwork. Grabbing a pen, he listened for Severus' reply as he quickly looked over the homework. This didn't take long at all, since it was the six-year-olds', and they only had to answer five questions. He was already familiar with the homework he handed out, so he knew by just looking at the writing whether they'd gotten it correct or not.

"She had the capacity to be," Severus cautiously replied. "But no, she did not further her education in anything after finishing her magical schooling, not even potions."

"I think we've all met someone that didn't fulfill their potential, whether they were encouraged to pursue it or not," Jason conceded with a sigh.

"Indeed," Severus agreed immediately.

"Jackson, to name one," Nathan said with a scowl, "No matter how much I encouraged him, he didn't take it at face value; he could have done a lot with his life." Nathan was already halfway done with marking the homework he'd assigned; it was just too bad the assistants didn't help with this ―it would have meant less work for him to do― because he desperately wanted to see if the potion really did work better with the recipe changed.

"Did something happen?" Severus enquired, glancing at his watch.

"No; he is living off his inheritance. His father is a friend of my father; I've heard them going on about it quite a few times," Jason said.

"Why doesn't he do something about it? Instill some pride in his son?" Severus asked, grimacing in distaste.

"My thoughts exactly," Jason said shrugging his shoulders, at a loss just like Septimus.

A loud knock at the door had Nathan and Jason automatically calling out "Come in." They already knew that it wasn't a child, judging by the forcefulness of the knock. They were proven right, of course, when an adult stalked in with her hands full of crates.

"Thank you, Emily," Jason said, smiling his thanks as the three men went to help her, taking a crate each, which contained potions ingredients.

"No problem," she said giving a small laugh, "Sarah will be packing up everything else you'll need; I'll be bringing it down shortly." Sarah was the Herbology teacher, and she dealt with all the herbs and the few potion ingredients that were grown here at the school so they didn't have to buy them.

"Great; we are running low on quite a few things," Nathan said, already taking the jars out.

"Are these meant to be fresh?" Severus enquired, sniffing at the ingredients; they certainly weren't.

"As fresh as we can get them, at any rate," Sarah said, wondering who he was.

"Where do you get them?" Severus questioned, giving her a curious look.

"Jackson and Rutgers," Nathan explained, "It's the best place to get ingredients."

"The ingredients I get are much fresher than this, from Channing Apothecary," Severus said, putting the dried nettles back into the jar, unimpressed. "Their prices are fair as well; from the look of these, you need to restock every four months, don't you? Even with preservation charms."

"Yes," Sarah said, surprised and very impressed; he'd gotten all that from just staring at one ingredient?

"Septimus, this is Sarah Williams; she deals with all the deliveries that come in. Sarah, this is Septimus Regis, a Potions Master; his son is a student here," Nathan said, giving the introductions as he unpacked. He wasn't surprised; unlike Sarah, they all knew Septimus well enough by now to know he knew what he was talking about ― especially when it came to potions.

"Nice to meet you," Sarah beamed, not even put off when 'Septimus' simply nodded at her.

"I've never heard of Channing's Apothecary, where is it located?" Nathan enquired; they'd been using Jackson and Rutgers for more than a few years now.

"It doesn't just sell Potion ingredients. The woman that owns it allowed her son to make changes. Mark is a Potions Master, so he wanted to sell ingredients. It's more of an odds and ends store, selling a variety of different items, but I always go in for my Potion ingredients; so far it's the best shop for them that I've found, and I did look around as soon as I settled in," Severus calmly explained, watching them unload the crates. As soon as they were empty, Sarah took them back, and, with a quick goodbye, she left.

"They have everything we would need?" Jason asked curiously.

"I've not needed something they haven't had in stock yet. They also get a lot of experimental ingredients as well, or rather, ingredients you don't see used in potions at the very least," Severus commented. "You certainly won't hear me complaining about the service or ingredients."

"I might take a look at the weekend," Nathan said.

"Definitely worth having a look at the very least," Severus said, agreeing with the decision to at least look.

"Do either of you want a cappuccino?" Jason enquired standing up; he had a class in twenty minutes, so he was going to enjoy what free time he had left.

"I wouldn't mind," Nathan immediately said.

Severus looked at his watch again. "Harry will be getting out in half an hour; that should allow me enough time to drink it."

"Black as usual?" Jason asked, already halfway to the door.

"Indeed," Severus stated, smirking wryly.

Nathan put the homework he had corrected back in his desk drawer before moving over to the bench he used for potion brewing. Severus smirked when he noticed he'd taken the spiral notebook; he had lasted longer than Snape had thought he would before brewing the potion the way he suggested.

"I can feel that smirk without even seeing your face," Nathan remarked, his tone filled with irony.

Severus chuckled in amusement.

"Here we go," Jason said, entering the room again and handing the cups over.

"How's Harry adapting from nursery to school? I've been meaning to ask you for months," Jason said, sitting down again. "He's good at potions; I've noticed he likes to watch before imitating."

"He does," Severus said in agreement, "He watches everything around him. He's enjoying school. It exhausts him, but I think he's getting more used to it these days."

"It's definitely different from nursery. Doesn't help that they have to go to different classrooms," Nathan said, pouring water into the cauldron from his wand. "Where they have to go depends on which classes they've taken." Some people didn't want their children around potions or even doing anything involving flying yet, despite the school's reassurances that it was safe.

"Did you both attend this school?" Severus asked, realizing he had never enquired into their pasts.

"Yes; we've been best friends since we were four years old," Jason told him. "It helped that we both had a love for similar subjects, although he was better at Ancient Runes than I ever was, so I had help on that subject, at least."

"I see," Severus mused, drinking his cappuccino. It was very well done, especially for school coffee. If he ever wanted a decent one at Hogwarts, he had to get the house elf assigned to him to brew it. It was what he hoped for with Harry, to have very good friends who would stick by him when he was older. He had no idea how he was going to tell Harry about everything, but he was going to have to. He often contemplated telling Harry before he was eleven, but it went against all he wanted to do ― which was giving Harry an uncomplicated childhood, where the only thing he had to worry about was homework or some such trivial nonsense.

"I can see the colour and consistency is much better already," Nathan said, and only one adjustment had been made. "How many potions have you done this with, Septimus?"

"Quite a few," Severus confessed. He didn't know the exact number, but he still had all the books.

A bell going off in the distance had Severus looking at his watch once more.

"That's my cue," Severus said, putting the mostly empty cup down on the desk.

"Mine as well," Jason sighed, but at least his next class was for seventeen-year-olds who had an active interest in Potions and could brew without his having to warn them of all the dangers. It didn't require both of the school's Potion masters to teach this class, so they normally took turns, and it just so happened to be his. "Don't be a stranger," he added, putting his teaching robe on.

"I'll try," Severus wryly replied, before he made his own exit, hoping to beat the rush of students until he got to the front doors.

Severus did indeed make it before the students left their classes. The younger students didn't leave their current classes until the older ones were situated in their classrooms for their last class of the day. It prevented accidents from happening; no doubt they'd worked that out through trial and error. He saw that there was a flying lesson on; unlike Hogwarts, they didn't just have it compulsory for one year. The school had the lessons available for everyone up until they left; some went on to play internationally, so it couldn't be a bad thing. The ones in this class looked to be nine or ten years old; they didn't look even the slightest bit worried like Hogwarts students did when they were first on a broomstick.

Turning the corner, he was met with dozens of parents waiting for their children to come out, which they did, one at a time, until the teacher saw that they were safely with their parents before allowing the next child to find his parents. Before long Harry was at the front pointing towards him before scampering towards his dad.

"DAD!" Harry shrieked, barrelling into Severus, causing him to grunt at the head firmly lodged into his stomach.

"Did you have a good day?" Severus enquired, taking the plastic folder from his hand; it always had homework, a book filled with his progress, teachers' notes about any concerns, and things like that. Then there was the occasional letter informing him of what was happening at the school.

"It was okay," Harry said, grinning widely. "Can we go to the butcher's and get some bones for the wolves? Maybe something for the cubs?"

"Just okay? Did anything happen?" Severus asked. As he began walking, Harry slipped his hand into his dad's.

"Just boring," Harry admitted shrugging his shoulders.

"I see," Severus said wryly, refraining from shaking his head. School was mostly boring, and he would figure that one out sooner or later.

"So can we go to the butcher's?" Harry begged, remembering what he'd asked earlier.

"Very well," Severus conceded. The cubs were getting big, and spoiled. Harry couldn't stay away from them, and what shocked him was the fact that the wolves were letting him anywhere near the cubs. The pack leader was always close when Harry was with them, but Harry was always well behaved when he cooed over them. Quite frankly it terrified him, seeing his son playing with the cubs and the way the alpha male would watch over them. He hadn't saved Harry only for him to be killed by a bloody Moonwolf, after all. The cubs were stunning, even he had to admit that; Harry had pictures of himself and the cubs in his bedroom, and every time he saw them he just exuded such happiness. Who would have thought buying this property would bring Harry such contentment? His personal favourite was the one of Harry resting his eyes, looking asleep, with the black cub in his arms. In fact, he had copied it and put it in his own room.

"Yay!" Harry cheered, hopping on the spot.

"What did you have for lunch today?" Severus enquired, as they passed the school gates.

"Me, Josh and Dylan all had spaghetti!" Harry declared.

"Did you eat it all?" Severus asked. The school had picked up on Harry's not eating all his lunch. Considering he had never had a problem eating before, Severus was concerned.

"I did," Harry said honestly; he just got too excited or tired to eat, but it was getting better now.

"Good; that means you may help yourself to a snack later tonight after dinner," Severus said; encouraging Harry to eat his meals was all he could do. When he'd spoken to Harry about it, the boy had just said he didn't know why he wasn't eating, so he had asked the school to keep an eye on his eating habits. They hadn't changed at home, and that was the most important thing in the long run, since most of his meals were eaten when he was at the house.

"We are Apparating today; hold on," Severus added unnecessarily.

Harry held on tightly, and the next thing he knew, other than the sucking feeling all around him, was that he was now in front of the butcher's shop as promised. He couldn't wait to get home; bounding eagerly through the door, he grinned at Richard over the large counter.

"Hi, Richard!" Harry chirped.

"Hello, Harry," Richard replied, smiling at the child over the counter, before leaning down and grabbing the bag he had full of the discarded parts he didn't use. He handed it over to the child, who grabbed onto it without much trouble. It shouldn't be too heavy for the small boy; after all, he had put a featherweight charm on it, and so it was light no matter what the contents within were.

"What do you say?" Severus prompted, giving Harry a look for not minding his manners.

"Thank you, sir!" Harry said, grinning back at the wizard.

"No problem," Richard chuckled. It was nice to see children being reminded of their manners; it didn't happen a lot these days.

"While I'm here, I would like four chicken breasts, two pounds of mince, and three cuts of sirloin," Severus said, stepping up to the counter himself.

"Of course, Mr. Regis," Richard said, moving towards the display counters and beginning to measure up the items Septimus had requested. That was another reason he didn't mind giving the bones to Harry, since Septimus, for most part, always bought at his shop when they came in.

"Three Galleons and five Sickles," Richard said, putting the plastic bag on the worktop, and accepted the money from the wizard. "Thank you; have a good day." He knew Mr. Regis wasn't one for small talk.

"You too," Severus said, nodding curtly. "Harry, let's go."

"Bye!" Harry said, giving a big wave before he followed his dad away from the counter, sliding out of the shop when he opened the door.

"Hold on," Severus said, taking the bag of bones from Harry so he could hold on fully. He certainly wasn't going to risk Harry for some bones, that was for certain.

Harry squealed, but nonetheless wrapped his arms around his dad's waist, and then they were in the house.

"Can I give it to the cubs now?" Harry asked eagerly.

"That depends; Heather?" Severus called.

"Yes sir?" the house elf asked, making an appearance.

"How long until dinner is ready?" Severus enquired.

"Fifteen minutes, sir," Heather said.

"That will be all; thank you," Severus told her, watching as she immediately popped away. "Let's go. We have fifteen minutes; afterwards you come right in for dinner."

Harry didn't wait; he just sped off to the back door.

"Jacket and bag, on the hook," Severus called, his lips twitching at the groan Harry let off, before he did as he was asked.

Severus watched him run again, shaking his head in amusement. He hadn't expected Harry's fascination with the wolves to last. While children always loved their dogs, or cats even, the utter beguilement did fade away, eventually. It had been over a year now since they'd come here, and every day after school the child would go out and spend time with them. More often than not Severus would be talked into going to the butcher's for bones and such. Merlin only knew where they would end up, since the forest must be absolutely littered with them. Harry had bonded with them; they were more than just wolves, they were his familiars, and he knew that as long as Harry lived, his heart would be here, where the Moonwolves were.

Stepping out of the back door, he stood watching Harry surrounded by the wolves, who all knew what was in that bag. His lips twitched when he noticed Harry giving the Alpha the first choice before he began giving the others bones. You could see the struggle in his small arms, but he prevailed and gave every single one something to eat. Smirking fully in amusement, he watched the cubs jumping all over Harry, wanting their own share. They were the same size as Harry now; they would need to learn to be careful, otherwise he would have to put a stop to it. That would not be something Harry would like or understand, but the strength in those creatures would be too great for Harry soon.

Harry stroked the closest cub to him. The first time he'd done that when they were eating they'd growled at him. They didn't do that anymore; they knew he wasn't about to steal the food he'd just given them. His daddy was the best; none of his school friends had furry friends like he did. Josh had a cat, but you couldn't play with a cat; it was no fun at all. He liked giving the wolves bones, but when he did that they didn't want to play. He was too tired to run around today anyway.

"Harry, dinner is on the table," Severus called, once Heather let him know that the food was laid out for them.

"Coming!" Harry shouted, patting them again before he bounded back to the house; he would see them again after dinner and homework.

Severus placed the footstool at the sink, allowing Harry to wash his hands. He didn't need to be told anymore; he did it himself. Severus did the same himself, since he had handled potion ingredients that afternoon. Once he was done, he slid into his own seat just as his son did.

"Can I help you change the tank today?" Harry asked as he sat down at the table.

"Not today," Severus said; he would do that task tomorrow.

"Okay," Harry said, pouting a bit before he began to devour his dinner hungrily. "Ms. Reese says we need permission to go to the zoo and they want parents to vol-vol…"

"Volunteer?" Severus supplied the attempted word.

"They want parents to volunteer to come; will you come, daddy?" Harry begged, remembering the letter he got for his dad to sign.

"We'll see," Severus said. He really wanted to say no; he'd had his fill of looking after children. On the other hand, he didn't want to let Harry down like his own parents had done constantly. He never wanted Harry to feel the desolation he'd felt his entire life, not even for a minute. He liked that Harry wanted to be with him; if he did as a child, he would want that as an adult also. He would trust him, listen to him, and that was the most important thing in the long run. He was five years old already; time had gone so quickly, it was almost unbelievable. He wanted time to stand still, for Harry to remain a child for all time; he genuinely dreaded the day he would have to sit his son down and tell him everything.

"Are you okay, daddy?" Harry asked, staring at him in childish concern.

"I'm fine," Severus said immediately, smiling in a bid to soothe the worry on his face.

Harry beamed back, taking it for granted that his dad was speaking the truth.

"Go on then," Severus said after their meal was finished, knowing Harry was dying to get back out to the wolves.

Harry didn't need told twice before he was gone.

Severus picked up the folder and looked for the permission slip. The Zoo was nearby, and they would be using a Portkey, it seemed, to get there and back. It was a mixed zoo, with both Muggle and Magical animals. Interesting; it must only be available to magical people, obviously. He wondered what they would be going to see exactly; it didn't say on the paper.

He found an envelope in the folder as well; it had Harry's name written across it. Opening the envelope curiously, he saw that it was a party invitation. Grimacing in distaste ―not another one― he knew that, unfortunately, he couldn't just drop Harry off and leave him alone. Adult supervision was requested, not that he would have just left him among strangers. Standing up he pinned both the party invite and the zoo permission slip to the board beside the calendar.

* * *

><p>Big thanks to Jake and Jordre for editing this :)<p> 


	29. Chapter 29

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 29 **

**The Books Released **

* * *

><p>Severus woke up groggily to the sound of his alarm blaring in his ears; his arm shot out and slammed his hand on the device to shut it up. Grumbling under his breath, he sat up, yawning tiredly, rubbing at his eyes to get the sleep removed. Blinking sleepily, he stretched out on the bed, sighing in satisfaction. A small smile appeared on his face as he caught sight of the picture of Harry and the cubs at the side of the bed. Who would have thought he'd become one of those maudlin parents who kept pictures everywhere? Not that he took them; no, the pictures in the house were courtesy of the house elves. He didn't stop them; truth be told, he encouraged them. The others deserved to see Harry grow up, even if it was only by means of the pictures. He wasn't sure if they could forgive him for keeping this from them. Oftentimes he found himself writing letters to them, but he didn't send them; instead he placed in them in a photo album he kept hidden.<p>

Once he was awake and aware enough, he looked down at his left forearm out of habit, staring at the unblemished skin in awe and satisfaction. He couldn't believe that something as simple as a de-aging potion had gotten rid of the Dark Mark permanently. It was too good to be true, hence the reason he constantly checked it each morning just to see. It was like a new breath of life, just knowing it wasn't coming back. Each morning it was a reminder that he was free of past mistakes, and this was a new future for him.

Rolling out of bed, he wandered through to the bathroom, and absently began to brush his teeth. Today was the day the books were due to be delivered. He wondered if they would be coming in the morning or if it would be an afternoon delivery; he would find out soon enough. Only one hundred copies had been made, just to see how well they did. Talin had said he would definitely be buying a bundle for the students, but they hadn't discussed how many as of yet. Spitting the toothpaste out, he gargled with some water, quickly did the toilet, and washed his hands and face before getting dressed... and then he was ready to face the day, whatever it would bring.

Wandering to Harry's bedroom, he quietly gave his son a little shake, wakening him up. It was his habit to wake him up like this, since Harry hadn't been one for loud noises. He didn't have a care in the world about loud voices now, although he sometimes got scared of loud voices if they were also angry, as if the sound brought back bad memories. Harry had never spoken about the Dursleys, and Severus wasn't about to bring them up; they were best left in the past where they belonged.

"Time for school, little one," Severus murmured, smirking in amusement at the cross look Harry gave him through tired green eyes. Harry would sleep until around eleven o'clock on the weekend when he wasn't being forced to get up for school. He didn't know if it was all the activity during the week that caused it, or if the boy just liked to sleep in. It wouldn't surprise him; he could remember how tiring it was at Hogwarts the first year. Using magic took a lot out of you.

"'Kay," Harry muttered, yawning sleepily.

"Remember to brush your teeth," Severus added, before he put the light on and left the room. Harry's clothes and shoes were already on his trunk at the foot of his bed, ready to put on. It saved time, so he tended to do it at night, since Harry was very independent and liked to do this on his own. The only downside was the amount of toothpaste that was wasted; the sink ended up with more toothpaste than the toothbrush or Harry's teeth.

"Mail for Master Severus," Dobby announced, his gangly hand pointing towards the dining room table. Dobby had obviously returned it to its original size, since he doubted any owl could have flown with such a bundle in its talons.

"Thank you, Dobby," Severus praised, removing the tape on the box and opening it. The smell of new books hit him in the face. Removing one of them, he smiled in genuine pleasure. It was a book catering specifically to the needs of the school, or to be even more specific, for five- and six-year-old children and the potions they brewed. A lot of the information covered the basics about potions and their ingredients; there were a lot of pictures, as well as short explanations worded so that they would understand. Two months was all it had taken to get this book written and published; he was rather proud of it.

"Breakfast is almost ready," Heather said as she plated it up for both her Masters.

Severus moved the box onto the floor; Dobby had at least had the sense to keep the lightweight charm on it. Before he settled at the table to eat, he began to rifle through his other mail. A few were from St. Mungo's, requesting more of the blood adoption potion, but it wasn't the UK branch sending the requests; it was the American one. This did surprise him; Dobby must have brought the letters from the house when he was giving Black his food. Thankfully no accidents had happened like last time again; Dobby must be going in on the sly― either that or remaining invisible. He knew the consequences of such a thing happening again, and Dobby didn't want Black to go hungry. Unfortunately, Severus couldn't risk Black being seen here of all places, and yes, people here recognized the so called "Mass-Murderer;" it had been in all the newspapers. This was not surprising, since many wizards had fled overseas to get away from the war, and the excessive news coverage had been a desperate attempt to get them back. He would be genuinely surprised if anyone did go back; everywhere else was more advanced than magical Britain. He'd never thought he'd say that, but he hadn't been anywhere outside Britain before this; most of his life had been spent in Hogwarts or Spinner's End.

"Harry, come here," Severus called as he watched his son come in for breakfast. His lips twitching in amusement once more, he saw that Harry had put his shoes on the wrong feet again this morning.

"What's wrong, daddy?" Harry asked, "I brushed my teeth!" he added, smiling widely to show them off.

"So I see," Severus replied, hoisting the five-year-old onto the table before he sat down and took off the shoes Harry had probably spent five minutes trying to get into. "You are getting too heavy to lift," he mused as he put the shoes onto the proper feet, putting the Velcro straps back into place. Whoever had made these was a genius. The trainers he'd bought Harry with laces were lying in his cupboard, currently unused; he had been forced to re-tie Harry's laces nearly two dozen times in a single afternoon. So when the opportunity arose, he'd bought these Velcro-closed shoes, and they were definitely worth it.

"That's because I'm a big boy now! Right, daddy?" Harry exclaimed, vastly different from the grumpy boy who had woken up not long before.

"You are that," Severus agreed, helping Harry jump down. Once on his own feet again, Harry promptly scampered towards his chair and sat down on his booster seat.

"Here you are, Master Harry, Master Severus," Heather said, floating their food to the table.

"Thank you!" Harry chirped, giving the house elf a smile before digging into his food with gusto.

"You are welcome, Master Harry," Heather said, giving her own beaming smile. She had served generations of Potters, and while she hadn't been treated badly, she hadn't been acknowledged quite the way she was now. She felt as though she was truly part of their family. The elves were asked for their opinions, were given sweets occasionally, thanked, trusted, even given gifts by Master Harry. He was one unique Potter, even if he wasn't going by that name any longer. She hadn't had it nearly as bad as Dobby; her friend had lost his Mistress two years ago, just half a year after the war had ended. With nobody else left in the line, he'd had no choice but to go to the handlers. There he'd been mistreated, and kept in a cage until he'd been rescued by Master Severus, who had been disgusted by the way he'd been treated, according to Dobby's tale. His new master had come with no warning, swooping in like an avenger, throwing the coins at the nasty wizard and giving Dobby a home.

"Here is your coffee, Sir," Heather said, handing it over before she began preparing breakfast for herself and her friends.

Severus nodded, gratefully taking it. He never went anywhere without first having a coffee. Food he could do without, but never coffee. He suddenly stood up, as he remembered the permission slip had to be handed in today, otherwise Harry would miss out ― he never wanted Harry to feel left out. He had never gone on the trips the school had offered in his own childhood. His parents had never had the money; even his lunches had been free. This was a good thing, all things considered, since they wouldn't have paid for them. They'd scraped through by the skin of their teeth; he wasn't sure how his mother had done it, in all honesty. She'd gone from having the best of everything, all the money she could spend, to being destitute, all for a Muggle who liked to beat the crap out of her.

Unpinning the permission slip from the board, he grabbed a pen from the drawer before signing it, also grudgingly signing up to volunteer to help look after the children on the trip. The things he did for Harry, he mused humorously. He'd just signed up for an afternoon filled with squabbling children, pushing and shoving each other to see the various animals first. It was going to be a nightmare, and he would have to curb his tongue. It wasn't as if he could reprimand them; they weren't his kids ― thank Merlin; one was enough.

Severus wandered over to Harry's bag and placed both the permission slip and money for the trip into it before zipping it back up. There, that was one less thing to worry about, at least until the party, but he would thankfully have time to recover from the trip to the zoo before his ears bled attending a birthday party. Which reminded him…he would need to buy a gift. Severus' lip curled at the thought; unfortunately, it was the polite thing to do, and considering the girl lived three doors down, he would have to play nice.

Yawning tiredly, he sat back down and finished a few pieces of toast, still feeling hungry as he drank his coffee. He hadn't gone to sleep until well after midnight; it was unlike him, but perhaps he should have a few hours sleep when he got back from dropping his son off. Harry had moved over to the couch and turned the TV on, watching fifteen minutes of cartoons before going to school ... as he always did. It kept him happy and entertained, and Severus was quite happy with that... especially this early in the morning. Cleaning the grease from the butter off his hands, he picked up the book again and flipped through it, making sure everything was as he had asked. Having two years of work done up into one bound book would also help save money for the people sending their children to the school. He knew everyone wasn't as well off as he, so this way they wouldn't need to worry about buying a new book until their kids were seven.

"Harry, grab your coat and bag," Severus said when the fifteen minutes had passed. "It's time to go."

Harry pouted as he cut the TV off, but nonetheless he did as his daddy asked, and grabbed his coat and bag. He handed them to his dad so he could get help putting them on; he wasn't quite able to do it by himself yet. The one time he had tried, he'd ended up with his coat on upside down. His daddy had laughed at him, actually laughed! Doing it twice hadn't made him laugh again though, but Harry had liked it a lot. His daddy didn't laugh much, so the memory was precious to him.

"Are we walking today?" Harry asked eagerly.

"I think we will Apparate; we are a bit late," Severus explained, holding his hand out and Harry clasped his arms around his dad's legs. Once they were both comfortable, Severus Apparated them to the gates.

"There's Dylan!" Harry cried, waving his hand frantically, "Dylan!" he called, still waving.

"Go on then," Severus said. Harry gave him a big hug before he ran after his friend; they both disappeared into the building. A teacher was there keeping an eye on them, ready to take them to the classroom. These youngsters weren't allowed outside like the older children; they were still too young to be trusted properly, mostly just in case they ended up getting distracted and walking off. He saw Talin amongst the teachers, before Talin spotted him and began walking towards him.

"How are things?" Talin asked. "No surprise visitors?" he teased.

"Thankfully, no," Severus said dryly smirking. He knew Talin was speaking about Sirius Black; true to his statement, Sirius Black thankfully hadn't made a reappearance.

"Well that's a relief; please tell me you are attending the Carn party," Talin said.

"I wasn't asked specifically, but Harry has been invited; I assume your three have been asked?" Severus enquired, grateful that he would at least have one person to talk to. It showed that this was a very close-knit community, as once again the headmaster of a school was being invited to a children's party ― although it could be for the kids' sake only.

"Just the boys," said Talin, "They're looking forward to it."

"What's not to like?" Severus muttered; kids loved parties, at least until something went wrong. And it was guaranteed to happen ― something always went wrong.

"Indeed," Talin replied, using Severus' favourite word.

"The books came from the publishers today," Severus said, remembering why he'd stayed behind after seeing Harry to the school... not that he'd had a chance to leave.

"Bring them along," Talin immediately said. Both Jason and Nathan had been singing "Septimus'" praises for weeks. He had no doubt the books would do well.

"They cannot go further than the school," Severus warned; there was too much of his…style in the book. Plus he hadn't been aware of it in the other timeline. Or rather, the other "he" who was at Hogwarts right now hadn't known about it. He couldn't risk screwing with the timeline... well, any more than he already had. When he began writing the other books, his style of writing would become more prominent, making it even more vital that they stayed local. With a bit of luck, things would go his way. Since he was just writing for the younger years at the moment, it wasn't as obvious.

"Of course," Talin said in immediate understanding. "I assume when everything is over you will put them on the market properly?"

"I try not to think that far ahead," Severus mused, "But if things transition smoothly, I don't see why not." It all depended on Harry, on whether he wanted to stay here or go to the school his parents had attended. Although by the time the timeline coalesced, Harry's attending Hogwarts would be a waste of time and energy. He would be halfway through what would be fifth- or sixth-year Hogwarts material at the age of eleven. It was quite astonishing, really, and he was truly glad he had found such a place as this.

"Yes; I cannot wait either," Talin said grimly. "The classes there are absolutely ridiculous! I've received the book list, and I simply cannot believe they just begin learning those kinds of spells when they are eleven years old. What is wrong with them? All that aptitude lost because they are so backwards. My six-year-old students could beat those eleven-year-olds while blindfolded. And do not get me started on the electives! It is such a poor education, and for the price ― they are being ripped off."

"You understand my shock, at least, when I realized the potential your school offered," Severus said, nodding his head in agreement with Talin's words. It was true. There was no way in this world he could deny the accusations, since from his point of view they were right. It was completely backwards, and it explained why the Brits found it difficult getting jobs abroad. Who would take on those with as few as five N.E.W.T.s when they could hire a graduate from here who could go straight into the field with a Mastery?

"I understand now," Talin said, "I know now you didn't exaggerate, but I thought then that perhaps you were, a little. I should have known better by now. And they have the unmitigated gall to think they are superior?"

"I think that's more to do with the fact they have more 'purebloods' than are found anywhere else. They seem to forget that they are but a small isle," Severus stated, before adding, "Most purebloods actually loathe the Headmaster of Hogwarts." He was speaking very softly. They?! Since when had he been one of the people of St. Lucia, instead of British?

"I see," Talin mused, before shaking off his thoughts; he would think about it later. "Do you have a copy of the book?"

"Yes, I do, actually," Severus said, bringing one out from his cloak. "I had planned on getting some ingredients before returning home, and then coming back when the children were in their classes," he explained, handing it over. It was just the right size for five- and six-year-olds to handle, much better than the ones they currently used.

"Much more…enlightening; I can see the children picking this up, as opposed to the old version," Talin said as he looked it over. It was colourful; the cover illustration was tastefully done, and funny, giving children the impression that this could be a good subject. Fun, but not funny, Talin mused; he'd thought that was impossible to do, yet Severus had done it. "Why don't you show this to Nathan and Jason? They're both even more eager than you for the book to come out," Talin said, laughing.

"Hardly surprising," Severus smirked. "It was their idea," he added when he noticed Talin's confused look. The last word was nearly lost in the drone of the school bell going off, causing the last of the students to run to the building.

"I must give them a raise," Talin said, hiding his grin.

"Their heads don't need to be any bigger," Severus cautioned, his glinting eyes showing he was just jesting.

"After you've been to see them, come by and visit, or I'll pop by later tonight," Talin said. Tonight was his "free night;" he had a babysitter come, and he'd go out for drinks or whatnot. Usually he went out with one of his friends, who also happened to be his employees, but he didn't treat them as such outside of school. It was perhaps what made them so good at their jobs over all.

"I'll be by; I need an early night tonight, especially if I'm attending the…zoo," Severus stated, using the word "zoo" as if he'd never uttered it before.

Talin laughed again. "You make it sound like you're off to your doom, not just to visit pets with your son."

"I'd actually prefer my doom," Severus told him, drawling out "doom" as sarcastically as possible.

"I think Nathan and Jason have an hour free, right now," Talin said. "I'm afraid I must get going; I have an appointment with the caterers who send the food to the school. Their contract is up; every six months I have to deal with this nonsense." Talin sighed in exasperation. The price went up each time, but he wanted to keep using them, since their food was the freshest. Only the best would do for the school, especially considering all the money the parents paid for their children to attend; they deserved it.

"Six months? For a contract? That is highly….irregular," Severus told him in confusion. "The contracts I usually deal with can be anywhere from a year or two, or even five. Both in my business dealings and for employment."

"All of the rest of mine as well," Talin agreed, nodding his head.

"I would tell them to sign one for two years or you'll go elsewhere; they're making an imbecile of you," Severus said sharply, glaring at Talin for being such a soft idiot. "Your letting them makes you look like a push-over and a right fool," he pointed out tersely. He wasn't sure how Talin would handle hearing the truth in such a blunt way, but he wasn't about to censor his thoughts for anyone.

"Perhaps," Talin said, his eyes narrowed at the thought. Every now and again he thought it himself, but hearing it said out loud kind of put his hackles up. Were they treating him like an idiot? If that was the case, he would show them otherwise. It was not wise to treat him like a fool, not with all the magic he had at his disposal.

"I'll let you go; I'll be back in a few hours," Severus smirked. It was really too bad he had things to do. The magic that had flared around Talin was strong, powerful, and just on this side of menacing, enough to scare the hell out of those not easily intimidated. He would have liked to have been at the meeting. Perhaps Talin would allow him to see the memory later on in the week.

"Of course," Talin agreed before he began walking into the school while Severus Apparated out.

* * *

><p><strong>Potions Office- Nathan, Jason, &amp; Severus <strong>

"This is brilliant; just look at it!" Jason exclaimed, gazing at the book in awe, as if he had come across the Holy Grail of books. "Septimus, why aren't you happier? I mean, come on; you published your first book."

"I'm over the moon," Severus replied, sardonically smirking at Jason in wry amusement.

"Yes, and I'm the Non-magical president," snorted Jason, before shaking his head and looking down in awe.

"Congratulations, Sep," Nathan said seriously, giving him a genuine smile.

"Thank you," Severus said honestly. It was extremely odd having ... friends? He couldn't exactly call them acquaintances, since acquaintances didn't visit each other more than a few times a year. Having genuine friends was something new; he hadn't had this comradeship with anyone since Lily and he had been teens. They weren't as close as he and Talin though, since Talin knew everything there was to know about him and had still stuck around. It was definitely a weight off, being able to talk to someone about everything. Talin was like Minerva in a way; those two would get on really well. In six years maybe he would be able to introduce them. Merlin, six years; he prayed Harry would take what he had to tell him well, that he would understand and trust him that everything would be okay.

"You seem awfully preoccupied. Worried the book won't do well?" Nathan wondered, "Trust me, that book will do extremely well; the kids are going to love it."

"Are you planning on writing another?" Jason asked curiously when Septimus didn't reply to their question.

"Yes," Severus immediately replied. It gave him something to do at night, after Harry went to bed. He spent most of his mornings and afternoons brewing; the last thing he wanted to do when he was tired was stand over a bubbling cauldron. If he was honest with himself, he rather liked it, and Harry loved checking his manuscripts over, learning new things before the others got a chance to. Since he'd encouraged Harry's curiosity from the moment he'd taken him, Harry was always excited about learning. This was helped along, of course, by his praise and rewards for good behaviour. He knew that last part would die out eventually, when Harry hit puberty.

"Do you want the potions schedules?" Nathan asked, already rummaging in his desk drawer, looking for the curricula for years three and four, for the seven- and eight-years-olds. "I suppose I'm just assuming you'll be doing the two years together…" his voice was muffled by the fact his head was practically immersed in the desk.

"I suppose it depends on how many potions there are," Severus said thoughtfully. "And Talin mentioned you've thought about newer potions and having them on the schedule."

"Yes, there are two in particular, but they're for the older students," Jason explained before Nathan got the chance.

"Here, that's the list," Nathan said, handing the two of them over.

"Thanks," Severus commented, taking them as he began to read through the list. He wasn't as surprised by the potions on it as he would have been over a year ago.

"Septimus, did you bring more than one book?" Jason asked, flipping through the copy he held. It was perfect for children; in fact, it was exactly what he had hoped the book would be. He couldn't wait to see what else Septimus would come up with ― particularly for the books for the older students. He'd had a great time brewing the potions with the suggestions Septimus had offered, and he was quite thoroughly amazed at the results he'd achieved.

"Yes; I'm taking them to Talin later," Severus explained.

"Do you want to stay for your son's class? He's next; they'll be brewing the second potion," Nathan asked.

"I doubt my son would like his father hounding him when he's in school," Severus told him dryly.

Nathan didn't reply, but he did wonder if Septimus knew how often Harrison spoke about him. In class it was "Daddy said this" and "Daddy says that" and "Daddy does it this way" or "can I do it like Daddy does?" It was too adorable to be seen as smugness, though. Harry, like all children, just believed his father or mother, even both, could do no wrong and walked on water.

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><p>Thank you Jake and Jordre for taking the time to edit this story and make it wonderful :)<p> 


	30. Chapter 30

**Fixing Past Mistakes **

**Chapter 30 **

**Visiting The Zoo **

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><p>"You weren't kidding when you said that parents had a big part to play in their child's education, were you?" Severus asked dryly, staring down at yet another form to sign. This one was for Parents' Day, when the students' parents came to the school and told a bunch of children who were bored out of their minds exactly what it was that they did. Harry had just handed the form to him— why now, he didn't know, since they would obviously have to return to the school after the zoo. Evidently they weren't going back to the classroom.<p>

Talin chuckled softly, "We believe it's best for the children to have a school and parents that understand and partake in activities. Of course it doesn't help that sometimes the parents can't come, and those kids are left feeling hurt and left out by that fact. I used to be one of them; my father always insisted that he was too busy running the school... and there was little point to him coming since they all knew he was my father and what he did." Talin wasn't like that with his own children, nor was he expecting his daughter or sons to take over the school, either. If one of them did want to, then he would be very proud of them. The school had been family-run for generations, which was why his father had expected and demanded of him to be Headmaster. His children's happiness meant more to him than the running of the school. It was a different generation now, though; things weren't expected of one's children these days as they had been in the past.

Severus snorted. "The school wouldn't have allowed _my_ father anywhere near the doors." His father's temper had been legendary around Spinner's End, as well as his drinking problem. Even in the morning he'd been drunk, especially after he'd lost his job. So, unsurprisingly, most respectable people tended to give him a wide berth; the only people who would give Tobias the time of day were his alcoholic friends, if they could be called as such. They could have befriended a wall in their drunken state and spoken to it for hours.

"All right, ladies and gentlemen! Thank you so much for volunteering today. Now, we will split the children into groups of four, each with an adult, and they will be your responsibility for the duration of the trip. Sandra, raise your hand so the children know who to go to," Talin shouted, clipboard in hand, looking around seriously. "Yasmin Tanner, Deacon Black, Adan Balewa, and Chao Chen, go to Sandra, and do behave."

"Dion Jonson, Alexis Channing, Sophie Clarke, and Adam Rovello, you go with your teacher Miss Holly," Talin said, watching the named students go towards their teacher, chatting happily and grinning from ear to ear.

"Daisy Martinez, Richard Miller, Nick Moore, and James Taylor, you go with Jackson," Talin added, gesturing towards the wizard, who raised his hand and had the children running towards him. Jackson was Adam Rovello's father, and he had been kind enough to take the day off to volunteer.

"Septimus, you will have Harrison Regis, Dylan Balewi, Josh Lewis, and Afia Akua," Talin said, ticking off the last name, finally done with it.

"You're going?" Severus enquired, extremely surprised. Albus Dumbledore never did anything like that; hell, he would move heaven and earth to try to get someone else to take the students before he did it himself, as when the teachers went with the students to Hogsmeade to supervise them. Dumbledore rarely left the school, and if he did, he would use Fawkes or the Floo network.

"I don't normally, but this year, yes; one of my assistant teachers isn't able to make it in today, so I'm covering for her," Talin said. His deputy was currently taking over the school... but it ran itself now. Only rarely was the deputy needed; nor was he, for that matter. His deputy headmaster had a permanent limp, and had been a teacher there for many years before Talin had made him deputy to ease the burden of teaching. He'd probably added thirty years to the wizard's life; all that running around couldn't have been good for him.

"What about me, Headmaster Talin?" Ben Bolt asked, staring up at Talin, his big blue eyes wide, thinking he wasn't getting to go to the Zoo with the others.

"You are with me," Talin said, giving the boy a smile. Four students per person, that was the rule, and hence his reason for going.

Ben nodded eagerly, just happy that he wasn't being left behind. He'd seen his two friends be sent to the class next door with the year two students. Ben was just year one, a first-year, in other words, five years old; the year twos were six years old. His friends' mums didn't want them visiting the zoo.

Talin handed out four gloves to the chaperones, keeping a fifth one for himself. They were all different colours, since they had been picked out of the lost property bin. They had been found and placed in the bin two years ago now, so it was very doubtful anyone would come and claim them. They were being used as the Portkeys for the Zoo, there and back. "Keep them with you; they are keyed to return us to the school afterwards. The activation word is 'the zoo,' all right?" he explained. "Now hold onto them very tightly, just as we practiced earlier," he instructed, turning to the children as he said it.

"Yes, sir!" cried the students, all grinning widely as they each grasped onto a finger of the glove held by the one who would be looking after them on the trip, according to Miss Holly.

"Go on, then; I will be right behind you," Talin told them loudly, watching as both students and the adult they were with disappeared. Nodding grimly ―everything had gone off without a hitch― he then said the activation on his own before he and Ben disappeared ... reappearing with everyone else.

"I want you all on your best behaviour; you are representatives of our school," Miss Holly said, speaking to all the students. "Be calm, no shoving or pushing; if you do, you will remain beside me for the rest of the afternoon, do you understand?" she asked the students, her voice kind enough despite the threat.

"Yes ma'am," they all chorused together in understanding.

"Good," Miss Holly said, smiling at them proudly, before she signed them in and they begun their visit of the zoo.

Severus was thoroughly amused by how excited they were about such simple animals. They were listening to the tour guide with the sort of attention he hadn't known children were capable of. He kept an eye on the four he was responsible for, especially, but he did keep an eye out for any wandering students.

He stiffened when he noticed they were approaching the snakes; apparently Talin knew him really well.

"What's wrong?" Talin asked, arching an eyebrow. He hadn't been overly concerned or worried when Harry displayed the talent during the time the nursery got to see some animals. The idiot who had brought a rattlesnake into his school had been fired, he'd seen to that, and his licence to keep dangerous animals had been revoked. He was now working in a woodwork store, or so he had been told.

"These are tete-chien boa constrictors; it is a snake native to St. Lucia," the tour guide was explaining.

"The last time he saw a snake, he had to keep it," Severus pointed out wryly, as every single child pressed as far as they could into the railing to see the snakes. "As you know, it's not a gift that's…accepted by the majority of the magical community in the UK. I keep expecting that fear to rear its ugly head; it's not something I want for Harry."

"You have nothing to worry about; look, they're asking him what the snakes are saying," Talin said, pointing to the others giggling and laughing with Harry as he spoke to the snakes, then regaled the other children with what the snakes were telling him. Even the tour guide was listening in, deeply impressed with the gift Harry had.

Severus let out a breath he hadn't even been aware he was holding; it really was an ingrained reaction. Those insipid little fools feared Parseltongue because the Dark L…no, because Voldemort spoke it. He had nothing to fear by speaking his name anymore; the mark wasn't present, and after all this time it was unlikely it would make a reappearance. That still didn't stop him from checking every morning, though ― just to be sure.

"You worry too much," Talin said.

"I do," Severus wryly conceded.

"It's called being a father," Talin added, "You never stop, even when it's obvious they can look after themselves." Here he was thinking of his daughter; she was much like her mother in many ways, but unlike her when need be. He loved her fiercely; he knew she could handle herself, yet he constantly worried. He just didn't show it as much as his wife had... he missed her so much.

"Indeed," Severus mused, doubting that Talin heard him, he had that faraway look in his eye. Severus coughed to get his attention when the children began moving once more.

"Now these parrots are indigenous to St. Lucia as well, they are known locally as Jacquot parrots. They were an endangered species before the government designated them a protected species. There are many more of them now, but it is seldom that they are seen; they tend to stay in the canopies of our rainforests," explained the guide, showing off the prized parrot. Its head was blue, as well as its tail; the rest was green, no doubt helping it blend into the foliage of the rainforests.

"Hello, hello, hello," the parrot cawed, its head bobbing up and down. "Good boy, good boy."

The children laughed in amusement, giggling even more when the parrot continued talking. Eventually they were ushered away from the parrot and on to the next thing, despite their groans. These never lasted long, when they were introduced to the next animal. The animals were getting bigger the further they progressed.

Harry squealed when he saw the Pegasi in their paddock, and stroked one with reverence despite being told not to. Severus noticed that the Pegasus that allowed Harry to pet it, did not let the other children near him; he just gently butted Harry's head and wandered off.

"I want to touch it too!" a red-headed girl protested, stomping her foot angrily. She shoved two of the other children away so she could get up to it, but the animals were long gone from the front of the pen.

"Did you see, Daddy? Did you see?" Harry squeaked, his green eyes alive with wonder and awe.

"I did," Severus said, smiling softly.

"I see he's still obsessed by Pegasi," Talin commented with a full-out grin, remembering the day he had first met Harry, going on two years ago, nearly. He had made a Pegasus figure magically move around the room, in a display of awesome magical power.

"It's on a level with wolves," Severus said sardonically. "And do you always let her get away with that behaviour?"

"Who?" Talin asked, looking around for any sign of misbehaviour.

"Red-head," Severus said, gesturing towards the girl who was now pouting.

"Alexis Channing," Talin said with a sigh. "Yes; the teacher has commented on her behaviour being a little…rough around the edges." When she was in nursery the teachers had told her mother, but other than saying something there wasn't much they could do besides giving detentions, and making her sit in the corner. He would need to keep an eye on her, it seemed.

"If you aren't careful, you'll have a bully on your hands," Severus stated. She was only six now and could change, but she also could get worse.

Talin nodded, taking it on board as the group began moving again. They were a bit behind schedule; they would either have to move more quickly, or not see everything, since school would be out in twenty minutes. He wasn't in the habit of students being late back to school from field trips; it worried the parents. He always told the teachers to make sure the students were either early or dead on time, never late.

Next up was the lions, Muggle animals that quite a few of the children were seeing for the first time. Severus was surprised by how little he was annoyed by the constant squealing, clapping, and shrieking, the giggling and incessant talking. He hadn't been able to tolerate it at Hogwarts, had teaching children drained him of all tolerance? Or was Harry changing him enough that he couldn't bring himself to get angry at things that used to bother him?

"These are tigers, and they're very territorial right now, they've had baby cubs," the guide said, smiling as the students awed and 'ooo'ed' at the tiny things next to their 'mum'.

"Move aside!" Alexis demanded, shoving at the other children, desperate to see the babies.

"Alexis Channing," Talin snapped in reprimand.

"I WANT TO SEE THEM!" she snapped, and before everyone's eyes she Apparated.

"Oh shit," Talin gasped, shocked. How the hell was he going to find a six-year-old girl? She could have gone anywhere. Then his heart was in his throat when another pop told him she was in the bloody cage with the tigers. Three feet away from the cubs. He was frozen ― completely frozen; not even the sounds of terror coming from the other children could make him move.

He didn't even hear the sound of another Apparation following the girl into the enclosure.

What did bring him out of it was one child's shout of horror.

"DADDY!" Harry screamed, his green eyes going wide, as a tiger took a swipe at him. A bolt flung itself from Harry's body, shuddering through the tiger and sending it flying away, but not before it had latched onto Severus' leg.

Talin grasped a hold of Harry, before he could even think of Apparating inside with them. Severus grabbed the red-headed child not at all delicately, and Apparated them out just in time, for the female had been growling, snarling and hissing at him as she prowled forward. He Apparated back to the school group; Harry bolted from Talin's hold, running towards his dad.

Harry yanked Alexis away from his daddy, pushing her out of the way and causing her to fall back and cry out. "BAD GIRL!" he said to her, as if speaking to one of his animals. Turning back his eyes went from cross to worried; when his dad remained on the ground he started crying, laying himself on Severus' chest. "Daddy! Wake up, wake up! You promised you wouldn't leave me alone. You promised; wake up! Please, daddy, wake up!" the six-year-old sobbed, clearly terrified.

"Harry calm down, please," Talin said, flicking his wand, and just like that, Severus groaned.

"_Ferula_!" Talin said, pointing his wand at Severus' leg and sighing in relief; any higher and the tiger would have bitten through the femoral artery. He should have waited for the handlers, although he knew they would have been too late. If it hadn't been for Severus' quick thinking, the girl would have been ripped to pieces. Too many "ifs" and "buts;" right now everyone was alive and safe; that was the main thing. Miss Holly was comforting Alexis as best as she was able through the sobs of "I want my mummy." Harry had quieted down and was just sobbing into Severus' chest, clutching him tight, but occasionally whimpering just one word: "Daddy." No doubt seeing his father in a cage with vicious tigers going at him would have terrified him.

"Go to your teacher now!" Talin shouted, watching as the students went over. Harry's friends stood behind him solemnly. All of them were accounted for, so he reorganised the group. "Dylan, go to Miss Holly; Josh, go to Jackson; Afia, Ben, go to Sandra. Go back to the school; I will see you there momentarily."

"Harry. Harry, calm down; look at me. Look at me," Severus said, both hands on Harry's face, making his snot- and tear-stained son look at him. Seeing those green eyes so full of fear made his heart hurt, he hadn't seen him like that in a long time. Not since he'd first rescued him. "I'm going to be just fine, it's just a little bite." Just a little bite his arse; he was in agony, but he didn't want Harry to be scared for him. He wasn't used to people caring; it was a new experience, to say the least. He couldn't keep from grunting in pain as Harry latched himself around his neck; he was getting too big for that, and heavy.

"Hold on, Harry, it's very important that you do, this is going to take your dad to the hospital at school," Talin said, bringing out a different glove. This one was green; the others had all been black with some other colour. Harry grasped on tightly with one hand, never removing his head from the crook of Severus' neck.

The Portkey was quickly activated, taking them to the room used as an infirmary.

"Nicola!" Talin shouted, levitating both Severus and, obviously, Harry onto the bed— Harry refused to let his father go.

"What happened?" she asked, rushing in, making her way towards her patient without pause.

"Bitten by a tiger," Talin said. "Minimal damage due to Harrison using magic to throw a wandless lightning bolt at it," he told her quickly and professionally.

"He was lucky," she said, her eyes quite big as she stared at where the wound was. Her fingers quickly became saturated with blood. "Go get me a blood replenisher, no-scar salve, and a pain reliever, level eight."

"Five; anything more makes me groggy," Severus objected, grunting in pain as she used scissors to cut away his trouser leg.

"Don't hurt my daddy!" Harry said, whipping around; his daddy was always brave.

"I'm fine, she's just trying to help," Severus soothed, biting his tongue to keep himself from moaning; the pain was honestly getting worse. He was tempted to summon a potion himself and take it.

"Are you sure?" Nicola asked as Talin raided the large potions cupboard to find everything. It was arranged alphabetically, so it didn't take him too long to find everything. That was one possessive little boy, she thought to herself, flicking her wand, disinfecting the area and sealing the wound... which regretfully didn't take care of the pain.

"I am," Severus said. "If I need it later, I'll take more."

"Potions Master?" Nicola questioned, "You must be Septimus Regis, then."

"Indeed," Severus replied.

"I've heard so much about you; it's nice to finally put a face to the name," she added, taking the potions from Talin and handing them to Septimus. All but the salve, which she spread over the wound, stopping him from ending up with a really horrible, ugly scar. Thankfully the tiger hadn't been able to tear chunks of his skin away, which it would have done if it hadn't been for his son's defensive magic coming to his aid.

Severus downed both potions, sighing in bliss as relief shot through him. He could no longer feel the rotten wound on his leg. Just pleasant numbness, although it wasn't making him tired, thank Merlin; he did have to get home with a six-year-old child, after all. Speaking of six-year-olds... he moved Harry slightly, looking down at him to find him fast asleep, tears and snot still trailing down his face.

"What happened?" Severus asked in concern. His son shouldn't be so tired out; he'd only been crying for a few seconds, surely? Had he been unconscious longer than he thought?

"He used magic to defend you, caused a lightning bolt to throw itself at the male tiger that snuck up on you. Quite frankly, Sev-eptimus, he stopped you from losing your leg or your life," Talin said, cursing inwardly; he had forgotten where he was and had nearly slipped up badly. Thankfully Nicola was far too busy, wrapping a bandage around the wound instead of using her wand. That way she could make sure it wasn't put on too tightly.

"And the girl?" Severus enquired, adjusting Harry so he could get more comfortable on the bed and actually relax without Harry falling.

"Alexis is just fine. She was understandably shaken; wanted her mother, who will probably have her by now," Talin said, "Nonetheless I must go and check on everyone, and explain what happened to the parents. I will check up on you on the way back."

"No," Severus said immediately. "I will be fine; I'll be going home right now." He was never comfortable about being coddled.

"Well at least let me get you both safely home," Talin said, "Just to be on the safe side?"

"As long as it's not in front of the parents of those students," Severus eventually replied, grimacing at the thought of their reactions; it caused him to shudder.

"I'll Apparate you from here," Talin said; he had the capability, since he was the Headmaster. "Thank you for your help, Nicola."

"All right," Severus agreed, moving his precious cargo into his arms more securely.

"No problem; try and keep your weight off it for a while, Septimus," she suggested, absently patting at his arm before disappearing through a door that Severus assumed led to her office.

"Accio Harrison's schoolbag and folder!" Talin said, summoning Harry's things. Since his classroom was on the ground floor like the infirmary, it didn't take long at all for Harry's possessions to come floating into his outstretched hands. "I'm going to conjure a stretcher; otherwise this ride will be jarring, and you might end up with further injuries." The look on Severus' face amused him so; honestly, he was acting as though Talin expected him to strip. Moving towards Severus, he spelled him onto a stretcher, grabbed onto both Severus and Harry, and Apparated them home.

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><p>Thank you Jake and Jordre for taking the time to edit this story and make it wonderful :)<p> 


	31. Chapter 31

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 31 **

**A possessive little boy **

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><p>"I'll get it, daddy; you stay there," Harry demanded, his large green eyes boring into his daddy as though he could possibly stare him into submission. His dad was on the couch, his leg propped up on the table, with a pillow between the table and his leg. He didn't want his daddy to hurt, so he would get the door. Once Harry was sure he wouldn't move, he scrambled for the door, and opened it to see who was at the door so early.<p>

"Good morning, Harry, is your dad in?" Talin asked, smiling at the little boy; he already had his clothes on, ready for the day, and so early too.

"Yup! Come in," Harry said, opening the door fully so the tall wizard could come in. He was just as tall as his daddy, but he was friendly, so he wasn't scared. "Daddy, it's Headmaster Talin."

"Headmaster Adison," Severus corrected. "Talin" was his first name and not appropriate with the title of Headmaster.

"Oops, Headmaster Adison," Harry said, climbing back up beside his dad and proceeding to finish his soldiers and eggs. He had made sure to get up earlier than his daddy and tell the house elves to make breakfast for them. He'd even brushed his teeth and gotten dressed so his dad wouldn't have to worry about anything. Not that he'd had much sleep; nightmares had plagued his sleep, of the tiger hurting his dad.

"That's much better," Severus said in approval. Harry had been extra clingy since the incident at the zoo yesterday afternoon. It shouldn't have surprised him, but it had. Not just clingy either, but also extremely determined to do everything for him, as if he were an invalid and not merely injured. "Take a seat," he added to Talin, who was watching them, amused.

"Thank you," the Headmaster replied. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Severus said immediately. "I've been through worse." He waved the concern away; he wasn't one for being the centre of attention.

"I've set up a meeting for Mrs. Channing this morning before class; I would appreciate it if you could be there," Talin said. "If anything, I think it would get through to her better than anything else could at this point." More specifically, how it could have been her daughter who'd been hurt, or worse, killed. Something like this shouldn't have happened, and they couldn't be responsible for it either.

Severus frowned thoughtfully, understanding why Talin would want to do this; it would be the easiest way to scare the woman into actually taking what the Headmaster said to heart. Putting his empty plate on the armrest, he was just about to move his leg when Harry jumped up, quickly exclaiming, "I'll do it!" and taking the plate before Severus could say anything. He scampered through to the kitchen, giving the plates to Patter and Adair, since it was their turn to clean up.

"Very well," Severus conceded, agreeing to go to the meeting. "When is it?"

"Twenty minutes from now," Talin replied, glancing at his watch to double-check that he did indeed have the correct time in mind.

"Good," Severus stated, nodding curtly.

"How is he?" Talin asked, gesturing towards the kitchen where he'd seen Harry go through, and remain there for some reason.

"Understandably shaken; the same could be asked of you," Severus shrewdly said.

Talin looked away, utterly mortified, unable to look at Severus, feeling ashamed of his reactions yesterday.

Severus realized it was more than just a random, inopportune moment to freeze. There was more behind it, and if Talin didn't get it sorted, it could very well happen again, this time with more serious repercussions. He remained silent, waiting for the wizard to begin talking, knowing better than to think Talin would talk before he was ready. In many ways the other wizard was much like himself, although a few years back he probably wouldn't have confided with anyone. Things had changed, though, a great deal, in fact.

Talin chuckled bitterly. "All I could think about when that little girl appeared in the tigers' den was, 'I can't leave my children without parents.' I'm all they have left in the world. They would end up in care, and probably split up; I just couldn't do it... something like that hasn't happened to me before. I feel like an utter fool. I honestly don't know how you did it," Talin admitted. Harry was all Severus had, and vice versa. To put himself in danger without thinking things through... he couldn't, he just couldn't, not anymore. His sons and daughter needed him, more than ever, and the thought of leaving them hurt him to the very core of his being. It had been different before; he'd never thought about it, since he'd known his wife would care for them.

"That's understandable," Severus softly murmured. "You've just lost the most important person in your world; it's been shaken to the core, and you will second-guess yourself for a long time to come. It will get better, though, but that fear will probably never go away. You'll just become more accustomed to it." In a few years, Talin's daughter would be at an age where she could look after her brothers if, Merlin forbid, something happened.

"I hope you're right," Talin said tiredly, rubbing his eyes; he had been up all night, horrified at his inability to move. Not only had his hesitance nearly cost Severus his life, it could have cost the five-year-old child her life, too. Not only that, but it could have destroyed Harry's life, a child he was incidentally very fond of.

"You'll find I'm rarely wrong," Severus smirked, trying to cheer Talin up a little. "It happens to the best of people. Just get up and move on; there's no point in dwelling on ifs and buts, because the past is the past."

Talin gave a laugh at the irony of that statement, especially coming from this wizard. "Is it really?" he teased.

"You know what I mean; my situation is pretty damn rare; rarer than rare, I'd say. I'm very lucky I was given this opportunity. The ironic thing is that I was…somewhat reluctant to do it. If there had been someone else there that day…who had the ability to shield his mind, he would have been the one on this adventure," Severus said honestly, and it was true. Lupin had been the only other, and he hadn't been able to, for the very reason he had such strong mental shields in the first place: he was a werewolf. There was little doubt Lupin would have totally screwed the timeline. He wouldn't have been able to bear the thought of Black in Azkaban, and would have done everything in his considerable power to get him out. It wasn't that he didn't feel bad for Black, because he did to a certain extent; it just was easier for him, since he hadn't been best friends with the man and didn't carry his emotions on his sleeve.

"You're lucky; it will probably never happen again, at least not to our knowledge," Talin admitted. The goblins would keep it a very closely guarded secretly, surely. Otherwise they would have everyone clamouring all over them to go back to the past and change things. For idiotic, inconsequential things, such as stopping a marriage, redoing things they regretted, and, of course, the inevitable one, going back to stop a loved one from dying. He didn't think time should be played with in such a way, but from one point of view he was also extremely curious about it.

"Indeed," Severus replied wryly.

"Where is Harrison?" Talin asked; he had been in the kitchen a long time, was one of his chores to do the washing up?

"I don't even need to guess," Severus smirked. "Out in the garden, getting his clothes hairy and dirty."

"Hairy?" Talin echoed. "I wasn't aware that you had a dog." Not that it was any of his business, but he was curious.

"No, not a dog. I'm surprised you don't know; everyone else around here does. There's a pack of Moonwolves in the forest at the back of the house. They took a liking to Harry, and Harry adores them; he is out there every opportunity he gets," Severus told him amused. He pointed towards a picture that sat on the mantle behind Talin; the wizard looked around and gasped.

"Moonwolves? Do you mean what I think you mean?" Talin questioned, wide-eyed.

"Born from two werewolves, yes; the last owner was one," Severus nodded. "They had cubs of their own, and the white one in particular spends every second in Harry's lap." The others weren't as close to him, but that wasn't to say they weren't overly fond of him ― but animals were fond of anyone that brought them food.

"Mesmerising," Talin commented, wondering why on earth he hadn't known about it before this. It was an absolutely breathtaking picture, and he was barely able to wrench his eyes from it.

"He never stops talking about them; from what I can gather, Dylan and Josh wish to meet them," Severus explained. "Unfortunately I had to tell Harry no. Harry is one thing, but two strange boys encroaching on their territory…well, I dread to think what could happen. Fortunately Harry understood they weren't pets and that it was entirely up to them whom they chose to befriend."

"Those boys do everything together," Talin said, not surprised that they would know.

"Yes. He has a sleepover scheduled in a few weeks' time; Harry seems eager enough," Severus said, and he hoped Harry would be able to stay the night without getting worried and wanting to come home. He would find out soon enough; he would just give Dylan's parents a Portkey so if Harry needed to come home, there would be a predetermined way, instead of them having to Apparate here.

Talin just smiled, used to the worry that came with being a father. When his own daughter had first started sleeping over at friends' houses, he'd been up pacing for hours. He couldn't help wondering how she was doing, if she would end up having to come home because she got scared, and the like. Of course his wife had just taken it all in her stride. She'd worried inwardly, never outwardly; that had been her motto, and dear Merlin, he missed her so much. She would have been able to make him feel better about what had happened yesterday. Of course it wouldn't have happened if she'd been here. "I'm sure he will be fine," Talin eventually replied. Looking at the time, he was surprised to see that it was time to leave if he wanted to get to the school in time for the meeting.

"Here's hoping," Severus said; it would certainly be odd being alone in the house, that was for sure. That and not having to wake Harry up; from all indications, it was the child who usually gets up early and wakes the parents up, not the way they did it. He wasn't sure if it was the same in other families, not that he cared; he wasn't one for caring what others thought.

"We must leave; the meeting is in five minutes, if you still wish to come…have you taken anything for the pain?" Talin worriedly asked.

"I took a level five pain reliever forty minutes ago; I'm fine," Severus said once again... still not used to people caring. It had been Harry that had surprised him the most; his little boy hadn't let him move all last night or this morning. He'd been intently doing everything he needed and treating him as if he was on his deathbed. If Harry hadn't been so cute and demanding ―not that Severus would EVER admit to it― Severus would have surely lost his patience…at least he thought so. Life had changed so much that things that normally bothered him no longer did. "HARRY!" Severus called, turning towards the kitchen door, which was open just a tad.

"Will Patter get him, Master Regis?" Patter asked, sticking to the rules they'd been given when they were called upon to serve. Despite the fact they were in the employment of the Potter bloodline, they listened to Severus Snape, aka Septimus Regis.

"Yes, Daddy?" Harry answered, coming in surprisingly clean.

"No need," Severus said to the house elf before turning his attention to his son. "It's time to leave; go get your jacket and bag," Severus said firmly.

"But Tom and Jerry hasn't even been on yet!" Harry protested; they didn't leave until it had been on, normally. He wanted to see it; he really liked Tom and Jerry, and it was funny.

"We have things to do this morning," Severus replied, pointing towards the peg sternly.

"Okay," Harry reluctantly said, getting his things as well as his daddy's cloak, before making his way to the couch. He didn't want to go to school and leave his daddy alone. What if he got hurt? What if he did something and he wasn't here to help him? The thought of his daddy not picking him up from school terrified him.

"Would you mind waiting outside?" Severus asked Talin, his eyes never wavering from Harry's head.

"Of course," Talin instantly replied; standing up, he immediately vacated the premises.

"What's wrong, little one?" Severus murmured, grasping a hold of Harry's chin and forcing the silent child to look at him. It wasn't the first time he'd had to go before his cartoons finished, yet he'd never been this silent. If anything, he enjoyed going to school and getting to see his friends, the polar opposite from the child who had clung to him, terrified of going to the nursery. His ideas of trying to get Harry to be more independent had worked, and he was rather proud of himself, even if he didn't admit it often.

"I don't want to go to school today," Harry admitted, his green eyes filled with fear and worry.

Severus frowned. "And why not?" he enquired.

"What if you get hurt?" Harry whispered, still scared.

Severus exhaled sharply. "Harry, nothing is going to happen to me, I promise. What happened yesterday won't happen again; I will never do anything that will make you be alone," he carefully said, explaining it in the only way his son would understand. "You do understand that if I hadn't done that…Alexis would have been gravely hurt or worse, don't you?"

"Yes," Harry softly sniffled. "You promise?"

"I promise, and I always keep my promises, don't I?" Severus firmly stated. At least he tried his hardest to, anyway, and that was all anyone could do in this life. He had thought he had judged the Apparation appropriately so he could get the girl out without either of them suffering a grisly fate. Unfortunately, he had misjudged it, and it was solely thanks to Harry and his powerful magic that he had survived. He obviously remembered the Dursleys still; he was terrified of his leaving, but couldn't that be said for all children? Talin's own two boys were extremely clingy right now, and they'd lost their mother…he didn't know, and he wasn't going to bring it up just in case Harry didn't remember them ― he certainly didn't want to be responsible for bringing all those horrible memories back to the forefront of his mind.

"Yes, daddy," Harry murmured; when his dad said something, he meant it, and even as young as Harry was ― he knew that.

"Good; now, I will be there to pick you up from school as usual, but we will be Apparating home, just until my leg is healed. In fact, why don't we plan to Apparate to the butchers first? Would you like that?" Severus asked, knowing that Harry would indeed.

"Yes! Yes!" Harry cheered, jumping on the spot; he could get lots of bones for the wolves.

"So come on, let's get going," Severus said, putting his cloak on and helping Harry with his jacket and bag before they both headed for the door. Severus was a little slower than Harry in a dramatic reversal, as he didn't want to put too much pressure on his injured leg. The last thing he needed was for it to start bleeding again. He was glad it had been just a tiger; otherwise he might have ended up in hospital until they were able to prepare an antivenin properly, or de-fuse the magical properties in the bite of whichever magical animal it might have been. Still, he wobbled on it, trying to keep his weight off; just because he'd had a pain reliever, it didn't make the pain fade if he was deliberately pressing down on it.

"I don't suppose you can make a Portkey to go inside the school?" Severus questioned, already believing it was something impossible.

"I should have thought of that sooner," Talin admitted, shaking his head in silent exasperation. It would be much easier on Severus' leg if they did, and save a lot of time, since it was now two minutes until the meeting was due to start.

"Here you go, Headmaster," Harry said, holding up a strap that had once been attached to his bag, but it kept falling off now. Harry didn't want to replace his school bag; it was the one with the wolf on it, and he loved it. It was, perhaps, the one of his possessions that he cherished the most, but he cherished everything he was given. A repairing charm only did so much, and its effects were useless now.

"Thank you, Harrison," Talin said, accepting the strap before murmuring a charm to turn it into a Portkey. It glowed briefly, letting them know the spell was completed; Severus and Harry grabbed on, and Talin made sure that the child had a proper grip on it before he activated it. A whirling wind immediately picked up around them, carrying them for only a few seconds before they were suddenly in an office that Harry hadn't seen since he'd first come here. The Headmaster's office was where he and Severus had spoken about Harry's enrolling at the magical school.

Just as they had regained their bearings, there was a curt knock on the door. "Enter!" Talin sharply stated, straightening up and becoming the Headmaster of the school, not "just Talin."

"Harry? Why don't you go and play with the toys, while we have a conversation," Severus suggested, knowing Harry would be bored out of his mind within minutes. Although, unlike most children, his wasn't a destructive boredom or the kind that moved him to play with everything in sight; he would sit and wait patiently.

"Headmaster Adison? I'm Miss Channing," the long-haired blonde woman who entered the office identified herself. Her face was tense, as if she suspected that this meeting wouldn't go her way. Her daughter followed closely behind her, her red hair in pigtails today; she looked pale and tired ― no doubt she'd gotten the fright of her life yesterday.

"Come in," Talin said, silently gesturing for them to take a seat. "I am Headmaster Adison; this is Septimus Regis and his son Harrison."

"Mummy, he's the one that saved me," Alexis said, yanking at her mother's clothing to get her attention as if speaking wouldn't do the trick. She was pointing to "Septimus" with her finger, her eyes wide.

"You did?" Miss Channing said, gratitude instantly washing over her face. "Thank you, thank you so much!" she added, choking up, and stepped forward to thank him properly.

"Sit down," Talin stated sharply, seeing she was about to invade Severus' personal space, not something the wizard would like, he'd noticed. "Miss Channing," he finished in a gentler tone.

"Oh, yes," she said, startled back into paying attention; she took a seat and settled her daughter in, praying she would behave.

"I will skip right to the crux of the matter, since you know what happened yesterday. It cannot happen again," Talin said grimly.

"Of course not," she agreed, wide eyed. They were making it sound as though she wanted her daughter to endanger herself. She just couldn't stop her daughter once she started, which was near enough all the time. The quietest she'd been was last night and this morning, but even that didn't stop her…hyper-activity. She prayed the school wouldn't decide to expel her; she worked herself to the bone to make sure her daughter got the best education available. She was a single mother; it was difficult to raise a child by herself, but she did it.

"Has this sort of behaviour happened before?" Talin asked.

"Apparating? No," Miss Channing said. This was it; her daughter was going to be thrown out of the best school for miles around, she could feel it.

"Mum, I'm bored," Alexis whined.

"Quiet," reprimanded her mother, glaring at her daughter in warning.

Alexis huffed, kicking the table before standing up and moving towards the toys and Harry.

"Does she do that often?" Severus enquired, frowning at her peculiar behaviour; the woman was hiding something, he was sure of it.

"She just gets easily bored," she said, trying to make it seem like nothing.

"I WANT THAT!" Alexis yelled, grabbing the toy from Harry in front of everyone.

"ALEXIS!" Miss Channing snapped, standing up and grabbing the toy from her, then giving it back to Harry with a smile. Yanking her daughter to her feet, she moved back towards the chairs and sat her firmly down.

"Have you taken her to the healers?" Severus asked, feeling even more alarmed. There was something very familiar about the behaviour. It was obviously normal behaviour for this child, since Harry wasn't the slightest bit upset or surprised by this. It infuriated him, his son shouldn't be subjected to that kind of behaviour from someone, when he wouldn't even think of letting Harry act like that.

Talin had just been about to suggest that. This sort of behaviour was totally unacceptable; he couldn't let it continue in his school. He had to think about the influence she would have on the other children and the effects as well.

"A healer? Why?" Miss Channing cried, genuine fear displaying across her face.

"I may very well be wrong, but I think she is suffering from ADHD," Severus said. Seeing her fear, he elaborated, "It is treatable; she would need to take a potion, if that is what's wrong. I am no expert, but her behaviour will change drastically if it is. For the better; she will calm down and actually pay attention."

"Calm down?" Miss Channing echoed, looking relieved at that prospect. She was always all over the place; she barely sat down unless her favourite cartoons were on. It was murder trying to get her to do her homework, and there were only a few questions at that.

"Indeed, her magic will also calm down to reflect her feelings," Severus said, more sure that he was correct. The little girl reminded him of Marcus Flint during his first year at Hogwarts; he'd been a danger to everyone around him, especially in potions. Poppy had taken all of two days to diagnose him with ADHD, and with a strict potions regimen he had begun to calm down and actually pay attention in class. He'd been like a completely different boy. In fact, he'd improved so drastically over the next two years that Severus had allowed him to try out for the Slytherin Quidditch team. Marcus had never let him down. He might just be reading too much into it, and the girl was just ill-mannered. However, if there was the possibility that she suffered from that condition, then it was best dealt with before she did something to the other children in her class ― which included his son.

"Our healer could look her over today, and observe her for the rest of the week - hopefully then we will have an answer," Talin told her, entering the conversation.

"Okay, okay, anything," Miss Channing agreed, just glad that her daughter wasn't being kicked out. Although she knew there was still time for that to happen, she felt a sense of peace at the knowledge that something could be done to help her daughter.

* * *

><p>Thank you Jake and Jordre for taking the time to edit this story and make it wonderful :)<p> 


	32. Chapter 32

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 32**

* * *

><p>"Hey, sorry I'm late, but the conference ran way over; I got here as soon as I could," Nathan commented, sliding into a seat beside Jason, Septimus, and Talin. He passed over a large, brightly coloured box to Septimus, who to took it and floated it over to the large table full of presents that was opposite them. A large, flashy banner with "Happy 7th Birthday Harrison" was clearly displayed above it. They were such a small community that they all knew each other very well, so not to invite someone was seen as snubbing. Severus had not been the one deciding on the guest list; he'd made the mistake of allowing Harry to choose, which meant nearly everyone that Harry was in contact with most days was invited.<p>

"'Late' is putting it mildly; it's almost over," Jason laughed, glancing at the time on the hall clock.

"At least I made it," Nathan said, rolling his eyes, grabbing Jason's beer, and drinking it despite his friend's half-hearted protests. In the end Jason just rolled his own eyes before standing up and returning to the bar to get another drink for himself. It was an open bar, so the kids could go up for whatever they wanted (minus alcohol, obviously) without having to pay or have their parents pay.

"Would you like me to start giving out the party bags?" Abi asked, brushing her braided hair from her face as she stared enquiringly at Septimus. She intended to give her neighbour a break; he'd been on his feet for hours getting everything ready, and then supervising every game that was played. He obviously wanted his son to have a good time, and she admired that; her own husband hadn't stuck around. She was raising two boys alone, and she didn't even know where her ex-husband was. She certainly wished her own man had been a bit more like Septimus; it was a shame he just wasn't her type.

"If you don't mind," Severus said, noticing that she had different beads in her hair again. He could have sworn she just changed them a week ago. He shook his head in amusement as she left, grateful that he could remain sitting for a few more minutes. The cake had already been cut up into slices and placed into the goody bags after Harry had blown out the candles. This was the first proper birthday party he'd had, away from the house and with more than just his two best friends staying for a meal like last year.

"You know that's taking some getting used to," Nathan said, staring at Harry in amusement. He hadn't been aware of Harrison's handy little gift, not until a few months ago when he'd seen it for himself while passing the students in the playground on his way to the other side of the campus.

"What?" Talin asked, turning to face him curiously, before following his line of sight. "You've not seen him doing it?"

"No; he never morphs in class," Nathan said. "He's been very mature about the ability."

"That is because I've told him not to," Severus pointed out wryly. He was free to use his talent as he pleased as long as he didn't do it while he was in classes. He had finally figured out how to remove the block James Potter had put on his son all those years ago. He still didn't understand why Potter had done it, if he was honest. He never would, either; Potter wasn't exactly around to tell him, now, was he? He liked to think it had been a temporary measure, that Potter had had every intention of removing it. The thought sneaked out, wondering if Lily knew and allowed it would crop up occasionally; he couldn't see her doing it. Magic being cast to lock up a gift on her child? Oh no, that was just totally out of character for her.

"That usually gives the child incentive to do the opposite," Jason laughed. "I certainly did my best when I was a kid, at least according to my mother."

"Not just your mother," Nathan muttered, grinning in amusement.

Jason just punched him in the arm, shaking his head bemused. Half the time it had been Nathan he'd gotten into trouble with, so he wasn't innocent, to say the least. Their mothers had been driven mad by the two of them, but they'd grown up eventually, although Nathan's mum liked to complain about the "handful" both of them had been. How she'd always known they would be friends forever, like brothers. It was easier to say that now, than when your kid was still a child, things changed so. But he was grateful for Nathan, and loved him ― like a brother.

Severus agreed with their assessment; children frequently did do the opposite of what they were told; it was healthy in a normal childhood― if the defiance didn't go too far, of course. Unfortunately, he hadn't had a particularly good childhood; he had never dared to defy his parents, knowing the consequences. And Harry hadn't had a good start either; he was beginning to think Harry would always remember it, even if just subconsciously. Harry was a brilliant, studious boy, who, yes, did like to have fun, although his idea of fun consisted of playing with his friends or the wolves. He was never far from the house; Severus was hoping that, as he grew more confident over the next few years, that he would venture further.

Talin snorted in amusement, "You destroyed the charms classroom! My father went nuts, and I remember listening to him going on about it for weeks! The repairs didn't cost a thing, though; I think he just wanted something to complain about."

"That's right," Jason exclaimed, "I had forgotten about that; our levitating charms hit each other and caused an explosion."

"Sounds familiar," Severus muttered wryly. It happened at least once in all first-year classes, according to Filius, although usually it was a single spell not pronounced correctly, and harmlessly exploding the feather they used, along with someone actually getting it right and being able to levitate the feather.

"Please don't tell me he's going to play more music!" Jason groaned, staring at the returning DJ with trepidation. He had just taken a break when Nathan had joined them.

"I doubt it," Severus said, glancing at the time. "He'll probably be packing up now."

The music started back up, proving him wrong and causing Jason to groan louder. He'd listened to children's music for the past three hours; he certainly wasn't used to it. The tunes were enough to drive the sanest person completely around the bend. The fact that he had a killer headache, wasn't helping. It was too bad he hadn't brought any potions with him; he sure could have used one. He couldn't have taken anything anyway, at least not until he stopped drinking. Potions and alcohol ― not a very good combination; it was the same as with many Non-magical drugs, really. Jason did perk up at hearing that it was the last song. Thank Merlin, he thought, Nathan had been the lucky one, attending a Potions conference while he was here.

"Excuse me," Severus said loudly so he was heard by the others as he moved around the children who were all jumping about and dancing. He made a beeline for the table where Harry was filling his bag with left-over foods. He had seen Harry secreting a lot of food, maybe even hoarding it, but he couldn't find a cause for it or even any food, actually. So it was just a suspicion; he hadn't called Harry on it either yet, and wouldn't, until he had proof. "Harry, what are you doing?"

"Putting some aside for the wolves," Harry simply said as if it was obvious.

"Harry, it's going home with us, there is no need to hoard it. Put it back and enjoy the rest of your party; the wolves will most likely get most of it," Severus stated. Nothing got wasted in the house; with so many animals living practically in the back garden, it was just passed over to them, with the obvious exception of sweets and such, that wouldn't be good for them. He, personally, would have preferred to stick with bones and raw meat, as they'd eat in the wild. "Now," he added when he saw the reluctance on Harry's face. He would need to get to the bottom of this; he'd been feeding the wolves for years now, so why the sudden change in pattern over the past few days? It was obvious he was up to something.

"Okay," Harry agreed, not wanting to have his dad mad at him on his birthday, not when he got to stay up extra late.

"Good," Severus said, leaving when he saw Harry was actually doing what he was told.

"That's the bags been handed out, there's a few extras, but they can be packed up with everything else," Abi said, returning. "It's been a fantastic day; the kids have enjoyed themselves." This included her two; she knew they would be sleeping early tonight, knocked out after all that sugar and running around like madmen.

"They have," Severus said in agreement.

"Septimus, do you need help boxing everything up?" she asked between parents wishing Harry well and also coming to thank Septimus for a good party.

"No need, my house elves will be handling the food," Severus replied, between nodding his head and shaking their hands. "Thank you for the offer nonetheless." They had gone overboard, making sure this party went off without a hitch, although he himself had done everything other than the food; that was the house elves' territory. They would have been extremely upset if they hadn't been allowed to do something. They adored Harry. Severus wasn't sure if it was normal to grow such strong attachments; perhaps it was because they were actually treated as if they existed. Harry spoke to them all the time, thanked them, and even asked them to come see the wolves with him.

"This is definitely the best party Josh has ever been to," Josh's mother exclaimed happily.

"I agree," said the boy's father, Mac, shaking Septimus' hand. They were well acquainted with Septimus; Harry had slept over a few times, and Josh had slept over at Harry's. It took a great deal of trust to allow another person, even another parent, with their child, especially when that child was all they had, and all they ever would, due to an unfortunate accident.

"Mum! Why do we have to leave? Can I stay over at Harry's, please?" Josh begged.

"Not today," Jill said, denying her son. No doubt Septimus was ready just to go home and rest. He wasn't much of a people's person, they'd noticed that right off the bat. He was extremely polite and protective of the children; there was no safer place for her son to be. Talin had also vouched for him, so he was all right by them. Added to that was the fact that he had saved that little girl over a year ago. She smiled at the relieved look on Septimus' face, although she knew he wouldn't be above saying no; he was also very honest that way.

"See you at the usual school run," Mac commented, before the family began to make their way out, the small presents Josh had won, his goody bag, and all clutched in their hands.

Talin grunted as his son barrelled into his side. Jaden had celebrated his birthday three weeks ago. Nothing as big as this, just his close friends; nobody was expecting a big party after what had happened. His wife would have done it, though; made it an unforgettable experience, but he just didn't want that on his plate. Maybe next year, but right now he just didn't want a lot of people around him for long periods. The sympathy just made things worse, but today had been better than he'd thought it would, surrounded by friends, and his kids had had a good time.

"Do you want me to take Ale and Jaden back home, dad?" Madelyn asked, hoping her dad would stay with his friends. Today was the happiest she had seen him in a long time. He missed mum, she knew that. They all did, but she wasn't used to seeing her dad in so much pain; he'd always been the strong one. She was trying to be strong too, even though her dad said she didn't need to be ― that he was there for her.

"No, we're all heading back," Talin said, giving her a proud smile. She was so much like her mother; usually that would cripple a person, but he took comfort from it. That part of his wife was still in this world, in three of their beautiful children.

"All right," Madelyn said, agreeing with him.

"Daddy, I need to pee!" Jaden whined, trying to get Talin to let him go.

"Go on then, but be quick," Talin urged, letting him go; the hall was empty other than for them.

"Heather? Patter? Dobby?" Severus called sharply, waiting patiently for the house elves to show.

"Start cleaning up now?" Dobby guessed before his Master could speak.

Severus smirked, and nodded his head; they knew him well.

"Yes sir!" the three said immediately before they began clicking their fingers, and the food platters began to pack themselves away into boxes that had been under the table the entire time.

"Enjoy the rest of your night," Jason said, slapping Septimus on the back. "I'll see you on Monday."

"Or before," Nathan said, although they tended not to bother Septimus on the weekends; those were the down days when they didn't have to do anything. They were also the days when Jason and Nathan actually got to brew something other than kiddie potions. Septimus had gotten a laugh out of that statement the first time he'd heard it. Then he'd muttered something Nathan was sure had been "children's potions, my ass."

"Alright," Severus said, nodding his head for what felt like the millionth time. "Thanks for coming," he added just before the pair of them disappeared.

"I'm back!" Jaden exclaimed.

"Where's the birthday boy? Harry!" Talin called, gesturing with a finger for the birthday boy to come.

"Yes?" Harry asked, staring up at the tall wizard and smiling at him. He was tired; he'd had so much fun, and he couldn't wait to get home and open his presents and see Mishi and Luna. She'd been alone all day, and he was worried about her; she was still so small.

"Enjoy the rest of your birthday. We're going now; be good," Talin added— unnecessarily, since Harry was a very good son and student, from everything he'd observed.

"Thank you for the gift, Headmaster Adison," Harry politely said, more used to calling him Headmaster. "Bye, Jaden! Bye, Ale! Bye, Madelyn!" Jaden was the same age as he, but in the other class. He saw him at lunch times and when their dads got together, as for the lanterns and Christmas and his party.

"Happy birthday!" Jaden and Ale excitedly replied, waving goodbye hyperly as Talin produced a Portkey. With three kids, it was better to Portkey than to Apparate them.

Soon enough it was just Severus and Harry, and for that Severus was eternally grateful. As soon as Harry was asleep tonight, he was definitely going to the lab ― for some true peace and quiet while brewing. He'd been writing for so long, determined to write about his passion, that he'd forgotten his first true passion was for the actual art of brewing. Seeing that the house elves were busy, he stepped forward, wrapped his arms around Harry's shoulders, and Apparated them home. Unconsciously relaxing when they were in the privacy of his own safe place, he could feel the wards wrap around him ― letting him know everything was as it was meant to be.

"I'm going to go to my room, dad," Harry said, turning to go up the stairs.

"Don't you want to open your presents?" Severus enquired, becoming suspicious of Harry's change in character once again.

"I'll be back down!" Harry promised, thumping up the stairs, not seeing his dad's black eyes staring after him, narrowed in contemplation. Once he was on the landing he slid into his bedroom and closed the door behind him. His tongue poked out in concentration as he crawled under his bed, opening the cage he had put up there and letting the tiny wolf cub out.

"It's okay, Luna," Harry whispered, smiling at his cub. He raked his pockets for the food he'd hidden and began to feed it to his little wolf. She immediately began to eat it; she was still too thin for his liking compared to the others, but he was determined to help her. Her mum, one of the Moonwolves, didn't want anything to do with her; she kept pushing Luna away and had stopped feeding her too. So he'd taken it upon himself to make sure she was going to be just fine.

Giggling softly, he handed over a piece of sausage and bacon next. Stroking her softly, he was mesmerised by how beautiful she was, even as skinny as she was. His eyes widened when he heard the door open; scrambling from under his bed, he stood up with a deer-caught-in-the-headlights look on his face. "Daddy!" he cried out.

"What are you up to, Harrison Regis?" Severus demanded sharply, seeing the food in his son's hand. There was no way Harry was still eating; he'd had food all day at his party. Why was he suddenly hoarding food? It made absolutely no sense; something was going on, and he would get to the bottom of it right now.

"Nothing," Harry proclaimed innocently, biting the inside of his lip and feeling guilty.

Severus narrowed his eyes further, "What is one of the most important rules in this house, young man?" Severus asked, his tone bland.

Harry looked at the floor, his foot moving back and forth before he slowly answered. "Not to lie, daddy."

"Do you want to tell me, or will I find out myself? And further your punishment for disobeying me, on your birthday of all things?" Severus asked, said punishment which consisted of earlier bed times and no fun activities―basically a grounding. He had never physically hit Harry and he never would.

Harry remained stubbornly silent until his dad stepped further into the room. "Wait! I'll tell you, I promise, just please don't be mad!" Harry eventually said, this time with tears in his eyes. He hated letting his daddy down and the disappointment on his face hurt.

"I'm angrier at the fact you are lying to me, Harry," Severus said softly, moving and sitting down on the edge of the bed so he was eye level with his suddenly nervous son. "Talk to me," he added seriously, giving Harry his utterly undivided attention.

"One of the wolves had cubs," Harry started.

"I know," Severus said when Harry didn't say another word.

"But she stopped feeding her or keeping her warm," Harry confessed. "So I took her and kept her warm and fed her."

"Where is she? Under the bed?" Severus asked, already up and moving.

"Yes," Harry admitted, nodding.

"You should have come to me, Harry," Severus said, his voice muffled from under the bed, as he dragged the cage out. Getting his first look at the wolf cub, all he could think was that his son had such a big heart, too big, really. All he had thought about was saving the wolf cub, and Severus couldn't really fault him for that.

"But I didn't think you'd let me keep her, and I want her; please don't send her away!" Harry cried in anguish, rubbing at his chest anxiously ― something Severus noticed.

"Harry, look at me," Severus demanded. "Did your magic flare when you lifted her up? Or just before when you saw her?" He had to know, so he wanted his son to look him right in the eye.

Surprise flickered through those green eyes before Harry nodded his head dumbly, seemingly surprised that Severus knew.

Severus cursed under his breath; he wouldn't be able to get rid of the damn thing even if he wanted to. It had bonded to Harry as his familiar, as if having a poisonous snake as a pet wasn't bad enough. Although it was very easy to look after Mishi; he understood and stuck to the rules they had set for him. He would need to find out what was wrong with the cub before it was too late. There were only a few reasons why a wolf would reject her young. One was too many offspring, which wasn't possible; they'd only had four. A second reason was known as fading puppy syndrome: the mother would stop feeding and warming the cub due to the fact that she felt the cub wouldn't survive. Or three, there was something wrong with the cub, as he had thought earlier. He was inclined to believe it was one of the last two, since the female cub was extremely underweight. It explained Harry's hoarding of food these past days. He wasn't a vet; something like this was best checked out by someone with experience in the area. He just happened to know someone: Mark; he was a qualified veterinarian, despite the fact that he ran an apothecary shop. He remembered seeing a certificate…a doctorate, actually, hanging above the counter. He had just been to the party, so hopefully Mark would be home.

"Where are you taking her?" Harry cried out, worry and veiled horror in his eyes.

"I'm going to have Mark take a look at her. I'll explain more; come along," Severus said, not sure how he could explain everything to the now seven-year-old in a way he could understand. He would do his best, and Harry was intelligent; he was sure things would be sorted out by the end of the night.

Unfortunately, it almost meant he was going to have to raise a wolf cub in his house; the shedding was going to be a nightmare. Then he realized the best thing of all: it was big, powerful, and it would protect― no, SHE would protect Harry to her last breath. With the wolf at his side, Harry would be protected and safe from all harm. He'd never heard of a wolf becoming a familiar. A snake, yes; a toad, yes; owls mostly always yes, and a cat was also popular… but never a canine. Of course it was just like Harry to do the unexpected, he thought wryly, setting the wolf in Harry's arms and silently gesturing towards the sofa.

Harry took the wolfling with delicate care, beaming at Severus as if he'd just handed him the moon and stars.

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><p>Thank you Jake and Jordre for taking the time to edit this story and make it wonderful :)<p> 


	33. Chapter 33

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 33**

**Show And Tell**

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><p>Teresa Talbot watched the students speak excitedly, showing off the items they'd brought for Show and Tell Day. Most brought their pets in; others brought items that they liked very much, or instruments they had. The pets were usually something along the lines of cats, hamsters, or rodent-type animals like gerbils. She noticed that quite a few students had cages in the classroom. As much as she liked teaching the younger students, it sometimes got a little boring, but it was always fascinating to hear their tales ― especially if they were interesting. She wasn't surprised when the children continued to talk excitedly, despite the fact the bell had sounded ― indicating that it was time for school to begin.<p>

"Quiet down now, please! Go to your seats," Teresa said loudly, so she could be heard by everyone, even at the back.

"Miss Talbot, have you seen my cat?" one particular seven-year-old exclaimed excitedly.

"I do see, but please sit down, Deacon," Teresa said, urging him to his seat.

"Yes, miss!" Deacon said, scrambling to his seat and placing his cat back in her carry case.

"Let's do the register and begin our lesson for today," Teresa added, opening the folder and beginning to call the names of each student in 'Class A', which incidentally had received a new student. Terry Kenyon had gotten ahead of the other students in Class B, and so the parents had been called in for a conference with the Headmaster. After due consideration, they had decided to put him in the other class. All the teachers were keeping an eye out to make sure he adjusted well... and so far it had worked fantastically well, and Terry could keep up with his classmates' progress. All sixteen of the students were there today, with not a single absence.

"All right, let's get the lesson started with... Adan, why don't you come to the front and start off Show and Tell Day?" Teresa questioned. She preferred Show and Tell Day to Parents' Day, where the parents would all come in and explain what it was they did. That is, they came if they could afford to miss even a single day of work, which some couldn't, unfortunately. That did disappoint those students, but it couldn't be helped. Adan was one of them, he and his brother both; their mother worked Monday to Friday, raising them as a single mother, poor thing. Show and Tell helped students with public speaking, so they did it a few times, once when they were five, and, of course, when they were seven.

"Okay," Adan said, scrambling to the front, a small bound book in his hands.

"What did you bring in for us to talk about today?" the teacher enquired from where she sat on her chair, gazing at the child in enquiry.

"I brought in pictures of my favourite holiday," Adan shyly said. "We Apparated there, and there was a swimming pool just like we have, but much bigger, and with lots and lots of people in it. We got to play lots of games, and my favourites were Archery and horse riding. I got to go on a pony all by myself. My mum's friend got to ride on a Pegasus! I wanted to ride on it, but I was too young, they said, but mum promised to take me back when I was old enough," gushed the seven-year-old.

"So you brought pictures of it to let us see?" Teresa said, encouraging the child to continue talking. He was one of the shyest children in the class, so all help was welcomed.

"Yes! My mum took pictures of me on the pony! We went for a ride and everything! And even me playing archery, here, see?" Adan explained, opening the small photo album and proudly showing off the two pictures, which were side-by-side.

"Pass them around," Teresa said, smiling encouragingly.

Adan nodded, before he passed the photo album to the closest person in front.

"What else did you do?" Harry asked, eager to know more about his friend's holiday.

"Well, we got to eat whatever we wanted! And people came to the room with the food! We went on trips to shops and to see animals. Mum had us go underwater and see all the fish! They were all different kinds of colours and pretty! They told us what they were, but I can't remember all their names! I would have liked to take pictures of them too!"

"Who else went with you?" Teresa asked.

"Just me, my mum, my big brother, and my mum made a friend on the trip!" Adan exclaimed.

"How long did you go for?" Alexis asked, listening calmly to the tale.

"We went for a whole fortnight!" Adan told them excitedly.

"Any more questions?" Teresa asked looking around at the students, to find that they were passing the photo album back to the front, having all seen it.

"All right; thank you, Adan, you may take your seat again," Teresa said, thinking one down, fifteen more to go. "Next up, Deacon," she said, gesturing for the seven-year-old to come up with his cat. "What's the name of the cat you brought in for Show and Tell today?" she asked him.

"She's called Spotty; I got to name her, and it's because she has a spot on her head!" Deacon said, showing off his cat's head. "I was five years old when I got her; I had been begging mum and dad for a cat for ages and ages and they finally got me her."

"Is she your familiar?" James Taylor enquired from the back. "Can we pet her?" he asked, even though he'd already petted her a million times.

"No, mum says I won't have one until I'm eleven," Deacon said as if that explained everything.

Teresa bit back the urge to tell the child that you didn't get to pick and choose the times and places where you got a familiar. It was an instant connection between two beings, and it transcended age; it was a beautiful thing, and familiars also tended to last longer than other animals, due to having a bond, a magical bond, with their owner.

"Where is your mum from?" Teresa asked.

"She's from Scotland, Miss Talbot," Deacon explained. "She promises to take me there one day, but mum says they moved when she was just a little girl and she doesn't remember much about it."

"I see," Teresa said, nodding her understanding; a little girl? She would have had to be at least eleven to tell her sons that they wouldn't get their familiars until then. Unless, of course, she had just listened to her own mum saying it so often that she truly believed it? No, that "fact" wasn't true; in fact, dozens of her students under the age of eleven already had their familiars. She was very familiar with British schooling; Headmaster Addison had been extremely vocal about their ways for years now. Although it was true that some didn't even get familiars until they were adults and working, not all parents wanted their children to have animals, or allergies came into play. Then there was the fact that they couldn't always afford it.

"My dad says I have a familiar," Harry said. "Can you get them when you are my age, Miss Talbot?"

"You can, indeed, at any age. You bond with your companion, and it is one of the most important aspects of being magical," Teresa informed her students. She turned back to Deacon. "Do you feed Spotty yourself?"

"My mum lets me now, yes; I feed her before I come to school! Sometimes she's outside and eats it when she gets back. She comes in through the back door; we have a space for her to crawl in! I used to go through it too, but I can't fit anymore!" Deacon giggled, amused at the memory.

"Oh, do you give her mice?!" Sophie asked eagerly.

"No, mum and dad don't like that," Deacon said shaking his head. "They hate when she brings in rats or other things; it's totally gross!" he told them screwing his face up.

"EEW!" exclaimed a few of the students.

"My dad says it's a present, the way they tell you they love you," Richard said, having a cat of his own, although he hadn't brought him in. He would have liked to, but his cat was old and didn't like strangers, and hated being in a crate.

"That they are," Teresa said, smiling and nodding in amusement. "Any other questions?"

Silence was her answer.

"Harrison Regis, your turn," Teresa said. He had an animal as well, if the crate was anything to go by. Presumably a cat, since the crate wasn't at all big.

Harry stood up, grinning eagerly, lifting the crate, which his dad had made lightweight for him so he didn't struggle with Luna. He didn't want to hurt her accidentally by dropping it or from Luna's going from side to side as he moved. He placed the crate on the table, still beaming; he'd always wanted to take the wolves to school to show them to his classmates, but he'd never thought he could ― until now.

"What's your cat called, Harry?" Teresa enquired.

"I don't have a cat," Harry told his teacher softly; opening the crate he began to coax Luna out with her favourite treat. "My familiar is a wolf cub; her brothers and sister lives in the woods at the back of my house with their mum and dad, who are wolves too."

Gasps of astonishment went around the room as they all got up and made a circle, trying to see her better.

"Her name is Luna and…I took her in when her mum stopped feeding her and keeping her warm. I hid her, but dad found her anyway; he let me keep her…" and Harry continued talking about what had happened.

**-0 Flashback 0-**

"Septimus, how can I help you?" Mark asked, staring at the wizard in surprise, as he should be. He had just seen the wizard not too long ago. He had been invited to Harry's birthday party; he had come to give Harry his birthday gift, and ended up staying for two hours talking to people when he'd meant to leave immediately.

"Do you still practice as a veterinarian?" Severus urgently enquired.

"Not as often as I like, but yes, sometimes; it's not something one tends to forget," Mark said, smiling wryly. He had taken a Potions Mastery shortly afterwards when he kept getting more facinated with what medicines he was giving the animals and had never looked back.

"I gathered as much," Severus conceded. "I have an animal that needs urgent attention; I would be willing to pay for the time."

"I would be more than happy to take a look," Mark said. "Give me a moment and I'll Floo through, if that's all right with you?"

"Yes, it's fine; the network is open," Severus said, pulling himself out of the fire and ending the connection. Then he quickly opened his network connection so people could come through. Looking back at Harry, he sincerely hoped that there was nothing seriously wrong with the cub and that she could pull through. Surely magic wouldn't be callous enough to bond them together and then tear the wolf away so quickly? No, it wasn't magic's fault, it was just the way things were…the way the wolf was born.

"Daddy, what's wrong with Luna?" Harry asked, unable to hide his worry.

Severus stared blankly, before his eyes were drawn to the little wolf cub, aptly named Luna: moon, which was silver and white. Which is exactly how the wolf cub looked, mostly white with silver/grey strands, mostly at the tops of her eyes and the edges of her face, where her whiskers were. She was so tiny that she fitted in Harry's lap. All animals were usually undeniably curious by this age. The wolf was just lying there, not even curious about her surroundings ... no, not the wolf, Luna; she had a name. "I do not know, son, but if anyone can find out... it will be Mark," he said softly, not wishing to alarm Harry.

Speaking of the devil, Mark made an appearance as he shot through the Floo.

"I never did like the Floo network," the older wizard grumbled. "I apologise," he added when he realized he was being extremely rude, as he tried to get rid of the soot on his clothes.

"It's fine," Severus waved off the apology, not at all bothered.

"I see why you called," Mark said, noticing the near-motionless cub. Going over to inspect it, he saw that it was a female wolf. "How old is she?"

"Three weeks," Severus stated confidently.

"May I see her, Harry?" Mark asked kindly.

"You won't hurt her?" Harry begged, his voice tremulous.

"Of course not," Mark told him firmly, he would never hurt an animal. Once Harry let her go, Mark delicately took hold of the little one, placing her on the sofa away from Harry, so he didn't get a confused reading. He flicked his wand and non-verbally and wordlessly said the spell he needed to get a full workup scan done on the cub. He looked over the results, his face impassive.

"Well?" Severus enquired impatiently.

"Yes. Well, I understand why she was abandoned; she has anaemia," Mark explained. "It causes a loss…"

"Of red blood cells, yes; how bad is the anaemia?" Severus enquired, cutting Mark's explanation off in his concern. "She has not suffered blood loss, so that's definitely not the problem, so she either has a serious illness, or it's a deficiency."

Mark smiled. "Yes, Septimus, that's exactly right. All she needs is something that stimulates the production of red blood cells; other than that, she's perfectly healthy."

"I assume it will be different from the one we would get?" Severus asked; it almost always was for an animal.

"Of course; there are a few ingredients in our potion's formula that animals shouldn't get," Mark confirmed. "I should still have a book on potions for animals, and I have little doubt it will be in it. It's Erythropoietin-based…"

"Erythropoietin…as in the hormone that…" Severus started.

"Stimulates the blood cells, yes," Mark agreed. "You should also give her a lot of iron; that will help immensely."

"That's doable," Severus replied, nodding.

"I'll get you the book," Mark said, standing up properly.

"Can I hold her again?" Harry begged, staring at both of them.

"Of course," Severus said, giving his consent after Mark stared at him, letting him tell his son.

"I'll be right back," Mark stated, using the Floo network to get back to his own place and to summon the book required to help the little cub.

Severus crouched down beside Harry and Luna; she was honestly the most adorable thing he'd ever seen. All the wolves were, if he was honest, but none were cuter than the cubs. Of course, all things were gorgeous when they were first born. Most things were just balls of fluff. A snake, a wolf... what was Harry going to beg him for next? He knew Harry was dying to get a Pegasus, but he drew the line there; if Harry wanted one, he would have to wait until he was sixteen and had graduated school—if he didn't leave school then, and actually gained his Mastery. He still found that impossible to contemplate. The school actually had teenagers graduate as Masters in various subjects. Even in the Muggle classes, they received doctorates that you could show in the Muggle world and have verified.

"I'm sorry I lied," Harry softly whispered, his green eyes staring straight into his dad's with sadness and remorse. He hated himself for lying; he knew it was one of his dad's biggest rules in the house. The thought of his dad being disappointed in him hurt him deeply.

"I know you are, son," Severus replied. "You're still grounded for a week for lying to me. I still don't understand why you did, but let this be a lesson: you can always talk to me and tell me things." He had never given Harry a reason to want to lie to him either. He wondered if it was just a normal thing for someone Harry's age; either way, he hoped this was enough to get through to him.

"I promise," Harry said, nodding sagely.

"The wolf sensed that there was something wrong with Luna, that was why she didn't feed her or keep her warm. As smart as they are, they are still ruled by their animal instincts. In the wild…there wouldn't have been a chance for her; she would have always been weak, and a weak wolf isn't a good one," Severus explained. Harry already knew a lot about wolves. What he hadn't asked him about, he'd read about in books that he'd asked for or taken out of the library at school. "Now that she is with us, she will need to take some medicine, a potion every few months. She will also need a lot of white and red meats, nuts and seeds... anything that is good for raising her iron levels."

"What's iron, daddy? Is it the same thing that makes the clothes tidy? Dylan's mum has one, she likes using it because she's no good at the spells; his daddy is a Non-magical," Harry said, giggling in remembrance.

"Everyone's blood has iron in it, and it's very important, without it we begin to feel tired all the time, and sometimes you can feel faint, sore inside here," Severus explained, pointing to his chest. "Lack of it can also make you feel dizzy; it's always important to take the medicine if you have anaemia. Don't worry about Luna; with my potions she will be fine."

"I know, Daddy; your potions are the best!" Harry loudly exclaimed, just as a ding went off alerting them to the fact someone was coming through the network. All of five seconds later, Mark reappeared once more... with a book and a bag clutched in his hand.

"The book, and just in case, the ingredients; knowing you ― you prefer to brew with fresh supplies, so I took the liberty of bringing them," Mark said, smirking in amusement. "As impossible as it sounds, I couldn't believe I remembered the ingredients for the potion you need," he added wryly.

"I don't doubt it," Severus replied, accepting the package and the book, with gratitude. He wasn't about to let the wizard go without paying him; he had received enough charity as a child. No, he was determined to do the right thing. Mark worked in that shop to make a living, not to give away ingredients to people... even friends. And yes, he did consider Mark a friend, odd as it might seem, especially for a man like him, who had spent so long confining himself to a solitary existence. And he had liked it ―he still did like his quiet― but he also liked having friends. He probably wouldn't admit it out loud, but it was true. He'd never had a true friend since he was sixteen…although as an adult, he didn't know if he could honestly consider Lily a true friend. She had abandoned him over one stupid word, refusing to forgive him. Real friends didn't do that; at least, from what he saw here they didn't. Look at Jason and Nathan; best friends since they were kids, they'd had their share of falling-outs and disagreements, but their friendship was as strong as ever.

"Here, this should more than cover it," Severus said handing over a pouch; there was at least fifteen Galleons in it.

"You don't have to," Mark argued. "I didn't bring them here for the money." Masters Crane and Wren had told him that it was Septimus who had told them to use him. He owed Master Regis a great deal. A book and a few ingredients were nothing to that, now.

"I know, which is exactly why I want you to take it," Severus explained, placing it firmly into Mark's hand. It wasn't easy keeping a shop, he knew that, but with the new business opportunity, hopefully it would make Mark more money so he could expand. He had pointed the shop to Nathan and Jason, and they had immediately taken up a new contract with him, giving him more than he actually sold the ingredients for ― because the quality was so much better than the previous apothecary they'd used. He'd known it would happen; all Potion Masters wanted the best and freshest ingredients they could get.

"All right," Mark capitulated, accepting the money with reluctance. He didn't mind helping out a friend, especially when they brought him new business and spent a great deal at his shop. "If you need any more help, you know where I am." Kneeling down, he stroked the beautiful wolf pup; it wasn't every day you got close to such a wild animal…or one that would be wild at any rate. He did wonder what they were planning on doing with her; she couldn't be released into the wild, and she would die within months without the potion to help her.

"Thank you for helping," Harry said kindly, smiling at Mark. He always played games with him when his dad went to buy potion ingredients. Sometimes his daddy took forever, or at least it felt that way until Mark played games like exploding snap.

"You are very welcome, Harrison," Mark said, scratching under the cub's chin for a few more seconds before his knees began to protest sharply. It was time to go home; he had inventory to do before ordering more stock, then he could finally sit down to dinner. Despite the fact he'd nibbled on quite a plateful of food at Harry's party, he was still famished.

"Talk to you soon," Mark added, nodding in Septimus' direction in respect before he was gone.

"She's still allowed in my room, right?" Harry asked, his eyes widening comically when he realized it might not happen.

Severus closed his eyes in exasperation, counting to ten forwards and then backwards before he opened them again. "She must remain in her own bed; she is never allowed up on yours," Severus stated.

"Why?" Harry whined.

"She's small now, but in less than a year she will be the size of your bed, Harry. She's going to be powerful, strong, and under the impression she's your equal," Severus told him, "Either you agree to this, or she stays down here, in the kitchen."

"All right, all right, she sleeps in her own bed," Harry said quickly, knowing his dad wasn't joking. At least she was still getting to stay in his room, that was the main thing.

"Good," Severus replied firmly. "Now, do you want to open your presents and then help me with the potion?"

"Yes!" Harry squealed; he loved making potions with his dad. They weren't in the schoolbooks, so it was real fun.

Severus' lips twitched; for some reason, he couldn't remain angry at Harry for long. He didn't complain too much for a child, he learned his lessons, and he was very inquisitive; he loved learning new things. And Severus loved teaching him new things; the awe on his face just made him feel extremely smug and proud.

**-0 End Flashback 0-**

"And now she sleeps in my room every night; her teeth are really sharp so be careful― one at a time; she isn't a dog, she's a wolf and will act like one!" Harry exclaimed, repeating what his dad had told him often enough. "She's still a baby and isn't to be poked and prooded."

"Prodded," Teresa corrected absently.

"Yes, prodded," Harry agreed, beaming in happiness. He loved his new familiar; it was hard to believe he'd had her for two whole weeks already. Listening to everyone coo and "aww" over the tiny bundle of fur, he just knew that he had the best dad in the entire world.

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><p>Edited by Jake and Jordre thanks guys!<p> 


	34. Chapter 34

**Fixing Past Mistakes **

**Chapter 34**

**Parents' Day**

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><p>Severus went into the school early that day. Every year the school had a parents' meeting, where each student's parents or guardians came in and had a conversation with the teachers regarding how they were doing in their classes, and what they were finding difficult or easy to do. It was pointed out repeatedly to the parents that it was extremely important to go, since the children attended many different classes; more were added each year as the children advanced. They were mostly magical classes, but the students were also allowed to choose Non-magical electives. It was a testament to how long Snape had been there that he was no longer using the word Muggle. He couldn't help but admire how different life was here in St. Lucia, with both magical and non-magical parents…things were so very different from his dysfunctional family, if that word could even begin to describe just how bad it had been, growing up in the Snape household.

Severus absolutely dreaded these days with a passion. The waiting was horrific, sitting with a gaggle of parents all attempting to talk to him; one had even had the gall to ask him on a date last year. Thankfully Abi had come to his rescue. His next-door neighbour was a godsend; he'd never felt more awkward in his entire life. As sad as it sounded, he'd never asked anyone out on a date, and had never been asked on one himself. There had only ever been one person he had cared about, and that had been Lily. Now all he cared about was her son, and seeing that he had a happy life away from the United Kingdom and their penchant for needing saviours and someone to admire. Merlin and Dumbledore came to mind, to name a few, and obviously Harry. He refused to allow them to raise the boy on a pedestal or, heaven forbid, use him as a scapegoat when things went wrong. He knew that would happen eventually. The general populace were sheep, they believed everything they read and followed other people's examples. It would take only one person's deciding to shun Harry and giving a reason for it; then the others would do it too.

"Mister Regis?" Rachel Newcomb called, opening the door to let the parents she'd just seen out and inviting him in.

"Master Regis," Severus corrected sharply; he was a Potions Master, not some potions assistant or shopkeeper. He had worked hard to gain his Mastery, and he'd be damned if he let someone ignorantly dismiss his success. Everyone in the immediate community knew about him and how good his potions were; they'd taken to coming to him to buy their much-needed salves and potions. Not only were his potions much better, but he provided them at a fairer price ― a relief to those who did not have a lot of money to their name but needed the supplies for one reason or another. Mostly they seemed to need them for their children, since he did give out a lot of potions for juniors. These were made differently than the adult ones, since children couldn't be given such strong doses ― it would only result in an overdose if they did take the full-strength ones.

"My apologies," she said, re-entering her classroom and sitting down at her desk, waiting for Harrison's father to come in.

Severus glared at the back of her head as she went back into the classroom; that statement had sounded as sincere as his suggesting the students at Hogwarts were brilliant academics. That was to say, not at all, and it irked him something fierce. She was a career woman; surely she understood the hardships of gaining a Mastery? If this was any indication of her behaviour and attitude, this would be the longest and hardest ten minutes of his life ― at least that he'd suffered through recently, at any rate.

Shaking off his thoughts, he stepped into the classroom and took what he assumed was the allotted seat for the parents. He had to consciously stop himself from drumming his fingers on the chair; he was beyond bored, and boredom was not something Severus coped well with. He guessed it was because he was just so used to being active and hardly having any time to himself, that having nothing to do annoyed him so.

"First off, I just want to reassure you that Harrison is doing just fine…" Rachel started, staring at the wizard; he was tall, dark-haired, and handsome ― but the way he had spoken to her had ensured she'd never make a move on any attraction she felt. "He is, however, having a tough time applying himself to math."

Severus arched a sceptical eyebrow; he was used to being the evasive one in a conversation, not the other way around. He would have tolerated it if it had anything to do other than with his son. "Meaning what exactly? That he gets distracted, or that he has trouble with the sums?" he demanded, sitting up straighter. Harry hadn't said anything; he had always told his son that if he found anything difficult that he could come to him and he would help him.

"Oh no, Harrison is very well-behaved; if he does talk to his friends in class, I only need to ask him to stop once and he listens... extremely well-behaved," she added as if her first endorsement hadn't been enough. "He just takes quite a while to do his classwork."

"I see," Severus stated, "I assume you've been helping him?" It was the teacher's duty to do so, after all. All the children had the same non-magical core classes; it was only the magical classes that they were divided for. This meant that there was no advanced or lower class to be put in. He would have to oversee Harry's math homework, and find out what was going on. He knew Harry couldn't be great at every subject; there would ones he found difficult, like everyone else, so he wasn't disappointed, just concerned that he hadn't noticed.

"As best I can," she replied honestly. "Not as much as I would like."

"I see. I shall work with him on it as well," Severus told her, using his most professional tone. Harry was very good at counting his money, which he continued to save up until he found something he liked, most notably items Non-magical in nature. He seemed to love music; he had a musical... thing ... that blared music into earphones, and over two dozen cassette tapes. He loved visiting the non-magical odd and ends store at the very end of the high street at the weekend. In fact, he went there when Severus went to deal with purchasing potion ingredients and such.

"He truly is such a sweet child, and always tries his best," she felt the need to add.

"Indeed," Severus said, knowing that it was true without her input. "Is that is all?" He wanted to get this done before Harry finished with after-school club... which had been put forward two hours while the teachers saw to the parents. It ended, if he remembered correctly ―and he always did― in just under twenty minutes. He only had one other teacher to see before he could go. The Charms teacher, he thought, remembering the name on Harry's homework, and on his workbooks.

Surprised, she numbly shook her head, watching him go; when she came out of her shock she couldn't help but wonder how Harrison was such a sweet, soft-spoken boy with a father like that. Taking a deep breath, she stood up, ready to take on the rest of the parents. Only seven more to go, she told herself as she looked at the clipboard and called in the next one, a couple actually.

Severus swiftly made his way to the Charms classroom; due to his frequent visits, he knew the school better than most of the others, who made a wrong turn every now and again. True, he knew the lower level better than anywhere else, but considering the fact that he'd been a teacher in a castle, this was a piece of cake. He knew the correct room as soon as he got into the corridor; it was the one room with a row of chairs outside the door. He was quite frankly relieved that there was nobody else there.

He looked into the classroom, and found nobody other than a woman whom he assumed was the teacher. Giving the door a few taps he waited for her. The twenty minutes had dwindled down to fifteen, so hopefully she, like the others, would be able to give it to him straight up, then he could leave. He could tell by their expressions they didn't like doing this any more than the parents liked having to waste an entire afternoon here. Especially when the parents already got written reports on how their children were doing. He had not received any word on Harry's not doing well at Math before, though, so this must be a very recent thing.

"Ah, come in!" Rene said, giving the newcomer a pleasant enough smile. "You must be Harrison Regis' father?"

"I am," Severus confirmed sitting down, surprised by how genuine she seemed. Some people thrived in social situations, but he was not one of them. "How is he doing?" he asked, getting straight to it. Harry's after-school Quidditch game would almost be over.

"Have you considered putting him in advanced classes?" Rene asked cautiously, as if she wasn't sure how her words would be construed.

Severus arched an eyebrow. "I would, but I believe pulling him away from his friends could damage him more than learning faster than his classmates. Harry is advanced in some areas, but in others he's at a normal pace for his age. Potions and Charms, as well as various Non-magical classes, seem to be his favourites, as well as being what he is excelling at."

"Yes, this was one of the concerns I had about bringing it up. But Harrison is amazing; you say the spell once and he copies you, and it has always worked," Rene said, awe twinkling in her pale blue eyes. "He takes part after school hours in the after-school programme, and he's very inquisitive about everything."

Severus nodded; he already knew all this. He'd seen it all; hell, the boy had used a spell to create fire even before starting school. Fire was one of the hardest spells to master, especially Fiendfyre, although Harry hadn't been told about that particular spell... Severus wouldn't take any chances; he'd rather not risk the house or, heaven forbid, the school suffering fire damage.

"Would you like to see some examples of his work?" Rene asked.

"I still have a few minutes before I need to leave to meet Harry, so why not?" Severus replied, standing when his son's teacher did. He followed her to the back of the classroom where a long row of fishbowls with a single fish in each were displayed. A huge bag of food was stacked in the very corner. He noticed a few of the names on the bowls' tags were familiar, and of course they were ― Harry spoke of them often enough, and they had stayed over a time or two. The bowl in the middle, which had more than one fish in it, belonged to Harry. One was a goldfish and the other, if he remembered rightly, was an Ocellaris clownfish.

"This is his," she said, knowing he already knew since he was looking at it. "He told me he thought that the goldfish was lonely and would want a friend, so he decided on a clownfish to keep it company."

Severus suppressed his amusement. Of course, that was such a typical Harry statement to make. He was always concerned that someone or something was lonely. He often wondered if it was a reflection of Harry's own current feelings or his old fears. Harry was rarely alone; he even slept in the same room with a wolf, for crying out loud. He knew you could be surrounded by people and still feel all alone in the world. "Yes, he likes to use those words quite often," he told her, amusement coating his words.

"I think that's all we have time for," she said glancing at the time, "I'm sorry I couldn't show you more."

"Indeed," Severus replied; it was the most interesting time he'd had all afternoon, seeing Harry's work. None of the others had actually taken the time to show him his things, but then again, most of his conjured, transfigured, and otherwise charmed items came home with him. "Thank you for showing me. I'll let myself out."

"No problem, it was a pleasure, really," Rene told the retreating wizard. She had expected him to be a bit blunter, but respectful, of course, from what Nathan, Jason, and Talin had all said about him.

* * *

><p><strong>Outside the school<strong>

"DAD!" yelled Harry, running towards him, his face flushed with all the riding he'd done on the broomstick. He had two bags in his hands, one containing his Quidditch kit, which he had presumably just taken off. The other was his normal school bag that he took every day. Both of them weighed next to nothing, so it wasn't a hardship to run with both of them.

"Do you have everything?" Severus asked, his lips twitching.

"Yeah," Harry said, nodding his head rapidly in agreement. "I drank all my juice though, and I'm thirsty…can we Apparate home?"

"I don't see―" Severus cut off his agreement of 'I don't see why not' when he noticed something white from the corner of his eye bounding towards them. "―how that is possible."

Harry stared at his dad, his forehead wrinkled in confusion. His dad was being weird and it wasn't like him at all. "Dad?" he asked, still staring at him oddly.

Severus smirked, and pointed towards the gates of the school; the damn bloody wolf had managed to get out of the house. Not that it was hard, he belatedly realized; all she had to do was go out the backdoor and make her way through the hedge and into the front. He would need to make sure she couldn't do that. What he failed to realize, though, was that it would be a futile undertaking.

"LUNA!" Harry squealed, rushing towards her, his bags forgotten. Once he got to her he crouched down and began to pet and cuddle at her, giggling at the licking. She was too big to fit on his lap now; heavy, too. His dad hadn't been wrong when he said she'd grow up quickly and be too big for his bed. He had been sneaking her up on it; he knew he was wrong to do it, but he wanted her there. "Did you bring her, dad?" he asked, when he noticed his dad standing beside him.

"I did not," Severus stated, giving the wolf a pointed look, but she just stared at him innocently; Severus did not fall for it.

Harry bit his lip, stifling his amusement.

"It is not funny, young man," Severus warned him, "She could have gotten lost, hurt, or killed."

"But the house isn't that far away," Harry objected, apprehensive now, he didn't want her to get lost or hurt.

"It's not," Severus agreed, "but that doesn't make it safe."

"Can we go home now?" Harry asked, spooked by what his dad had said.

"Very well, let's go," Severus acquiesced, wondering inwardly how strong the bond was that it was able to guide her to Harry's side. She had never been near the school or seen him going there to be able to come here, so he could reach no other conclusion than it was the bond.

* * *

><p><strong>One Year Later<strong>

Severus sat at his desk, his right hand busy writing the end of yet another book, one he had begun writing almost three weeks ago. Unlike the others, though, this one was double the size of his usual books and more geared towards adults. Surprisingly, it was not about potions, but rather spell-casting, and inventing and weaving spells. It was something that came easily to him, excruciatingly easy; he'd been inventing his own spells since he was fourteen years old. He had taught Harry that magic wasn't just in things that had been invented, but in our own hearts; there was still more magic to be explored and created. That centuries in the future there would be more magic than ever to learn. Of course, he had refrained from adding that Magical Britain might be just as backwards as it was now. That, and with a lot fewer wizards and witches. What with two vicious wars—Grindelwald and Voldemort— well, they simply didn't have enough time to keep their population up. There was also the fact that Voldemort was not finished. He'd known it before Dumbledore had told him; the Dark Mark upon his forearm had stood out like a beacon, giving him all the knowledge he needed.

It was why he had remained at Hogwarts, dying inside while teaching students who didn't care for the art of potion-brewing. Letting his future be wasted, all on Dumbledore's say-so; he had been such an idiot. Not that he'd really had a choice; who knew what Dumbledore would have done if his emotional blackmail had not worked. Considering everything he now knew about the wizard... well, he certainly didn't even want to think about it. A few years away from Hogwarts…had brought out a person he never would have thought he could become. Now here he was, brewing potions, inventing them, and more importantly, writing books.

He'd never contemplated the idea of writing, despite the fact he routinely altered potion recipes. Yet here he was, with his ninth book under his belt. For now he wasn't exactly published worldwide; that day would come, though, and he was seriously considering keeping the name Regis. The name he had emblazoned across the books was 'S. T. S Regis': his true initials, with Regis added at the end. Of course everyone assumed quite wrongly that the S was for Septimus; he had been quite clever in choosing his new name.

Putting the lid on the pen, he placed it in the wooden penholder Harry had created for him last year, and not by using magic, either. It was made in a woodwork class he had taken, craft and design; he had began with just going to the after-school class, and then taken the regular class during school hours this year. Eight years old already; time had flown by so quickly, it was rather daunting, to say the least.

A whine broke him from his thoughts, before a cold nose nudged at his arm, followed by another whine. Severus glanced at the time, not really needing to, since Luna always began to get hyper at this time of day. Ever since she'd hit three months old, she'd found a way to get out of the house and hightailed it to the school gates to wait for Harry. She seemed to know even at that age when it was home time for him. Since then, he had allowed Harry to make the five-minute journey home by himself... well, with Luna, that was.

Luna ran towards the door, her nails making a loud clattering noise as she walked; he would need to spell her nails short again, since it was just one of those noises he could not tolerate. She hyperly made her way back to him, her body shaking with anticipation at seeing her human again.

"Enough," Severus said sharply, and then just like that, Luna sat patiently at the door staring at him with those beautiful blue eyes full of longing. She was the same size as her mother now; she looked like a fully grown wolf despite the fact she was only a year old. Disregarding his wishes, the damn wolf did sleep in Harry's bed. When he'd found her on it he got her down, only to find Harry sleeping on the floor with her, using her as a pillow. As furious as he had been, it had made his heart leap just slightly. He had done that, or helped to, at least, turn Harry into such a caring young boy and it made him feel both proud and accomplished. The boy had such an affinity for animals, he just knew that Harry would probably go into a career with animals. Either that, or he'd have a dozen of them when he got his own place as an adult.

It was only after he was sure Luna would behave that he stood up and walked towards the door and opened it. She looked at him, waiting for the go-ahead. He had made sure that she saw him as her "Master," so to speak, the alpha of the pack... at least here in the house. So she would take a telling from him even if she didn't take one from Harry, although that wasn't really a problem. "Go on, then," he said taking pity on her, and then she bolted from the house.

Thankfully, nobody became alarmed by the sight of a big, vicious-looking wolf. Well, not anymore; they all knew her bark was worse than her bite... considering she'd never bitten anyone. The children all loved her, and always took the time to pet her before they began walking home with their parents, or the older children petted her and then walked home by themselves. They were used to seeing her with Harry, walking home from school. Sometimes he would take her to the butchers and the owner, Richard, would give Harry his usual bones to take home. Of course Severus still bought all his meat from there, just not on the way back from picking Harry up from school. Now he usually shopped just before lunch when he took a break from whatever he was doing.

Shaking his head, he turned and made his way through to the kitchen, nabbing a just-baked cookie from the tray and eating it. Only then did he realize that he hadn't had any lunch, but he didn't take more than one, despite the fact that he was tempted. He wouldn't do what he wouldn't allow Harry to do, that was, stuff himself full of treats before dinner. Taking a glass from the cupboard, he poured himself some milk that was still sitting out on the counter, probably having been there since Dobby had begun baking. Heather, however, was working around him to cook dinner: steak, chips, and asparagus... and it smelt mouth-watering ― and not just because he was hungry.

He would write a letter to his publishing agent after dinner, or perhaps tomorrow morning; he wasn't in a hurry. He had beaten his own personal deadline for the book, and he was thrilled about it.

* * *

><p>Edited by Jake and Jordre thanks guys!<p> 


	35. Chapter 35

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 35**

**Very protective Familiars**

* * *

><p>"The trophy is awesome! I can't wait to show Mum and Dad!" Josh exclaimed; it was the biggest one he had yet. He walked out of the park with his best friend, where they'd played for half an hour. They'd asked this morning before going to school, so they both knew it was okay... or rather Josh had asked; he'd desperately wanted to play at the park. The two boys both had very overprotective parents, or rather parent for Harry. Josh was an only child; his mother couldn't have any more children, which was why she was so protective of him. Harry's dad wasn't bad as long as he knew where he was going and how long he would be; in fact he encouraged him to explore his surroundings, even the beach. They had recently begun learning to surf once a week on Fridays after school.<p>

"Dylan's going to be so disappointed he didn't get to play!" Harry said. Dylan was his other best friend; the three of them were inseparable. Well, with the exception of the times when Dylan was sick. This time it wasn't just Dylan; his mum and sister were sick now too. Jill, Josh's mum, had taken food for the whole family around a few times; his dad, on the other hand, had given them potions to help speed their recovery. His dad sold a lot of potions from the house to their neighbours; it had turned into a mobile potions business of sorts, if you could call it that, since his dad delivered them if his customers were too sick or incapacitated. Even he had taken some through to Abi, their next-door neighbour, last week while his dad finished his new book.

A pair of eyes watched them leaving the park, keeping an eye on them both.

"I know," Josh said before chortling gleefully at his trophy again. They had won the junior Quidditch tournament. Five through seven played one set, eight through ten played another set, and so on and so forth, until they got up to sixteen-year-olds. With Dylan unable to play, the reserve Seeker had had to be used, but he had been good enough that they'd won. The way he'd caught the snitch had been awesome.

"Oh, I forgot; I have the Charms tournament tomorrow; are you going to stay?" Harry asked. Josh didn't like Charms much; he did all right in class and was very good at theory, but he wasn't interested in Charms the way Harry was. It was just Harry that was playing the Charms tournament.

"Mum and Dad are working late; I might catch the end of it after I've been to after-school club," Josh said. "If you play quickly, then you could join me. Or if you don't show up, I'll know you haven't played yet, and I'll meet you at the arena?"

"Sounds good," Harry said, nodding in agreement. He had begun feeling very strange, like his magic used to feel, all tingly... well, sort of. It was difficult to explain, especially since it had never happened before, and he truly couldn't compare anything to it.

"What's wrong?" Josh asked. "Worried about Dylan? If you want, we can go see him quickly before we head home? It will only take us a few minutes."

"His mum won't let us see him," Harry said, shaking his head, moving a little faster and causing Josh to run to catch up with him.

"Missing Luna?" Josh teased; it was rare to find Harry without her.

"Not funny," Harry sniggered. They liked to tease him, but Harry didn't mind; Luna was his familiar.

"I'm surprised she didn't come and find us!" Josh exclaimed, shaking his head.

Harry snorted, nodding his head in agreement. It was true, and Luna could find him anywhere he went. She had a really good sense of smell, but he knew it was also the bond they shared. The feeling came back again, this time stronger; it put him on edge. Maybe his Dad would know what was going on. It was really strange, but he put the thought aside, as they continued to walk home.

"You aren't getting sick too, are you?" Josh asked, wide-eyed ― it wasn't like Harry to be so quiet.

"No," Harry replied, grinning. "Just wondering how the tournament will go tomorrow, and where to put this!" he added, holding up his trophy.

"That's true; if you get any more, you won't have room for anything else!" Josh laughed. His friend had three shelves of medals and trophies mixed together. He'd been in Harry's room many times and he knew where they all were, cluttered together on shelves. He didn't look too closely, though, since Harry's snake Mishi was there― he did not like snakes overly much.

"You can talk," Harry laughed back. "Your mum doesn't have any more room in the living room for your trophies!" he declared.

"I have now; Mum put them in my room, though …well, other than the most recent ones," he admitted. "She's decided to redecorate the living room. Dad wasn't happy with that, since they don't have much time free as it is. He has a good point, but Mum always gets her way."

Harry smiled as they continued walking. Both his friends had mums; he would have loved one of his own. Unfortunately, all he had was a picture of her next to his bed. She was very pretty, and his dad always told him different tales about her; he knew everything his dad knew, and wished he could meet her even just once. He had his dad though, so he was happy with that. He wouldn't change his dad for anything in the world, not even for his mum; as horrible as that sounded; his dad was everything to him and always had been.

"Want to come to mine for dinner?" Harry suggested; the house elves always made more than enough, so Josh could eat there if he wanted. They were crossing a field now, since it was the quicker way to get home.

"Not today; mum's making my favourite," Josh grinned: steak pie and mashed potatoes. "Ask for tomorrow?"

"Sure," Harry agreed uneasily; the tingling feeling was back again.

"Did you feel that?" Josh asked, glancing around in confusion.

"You felt it too?" Harry whispered. His hair was standing on end, and his magic was causing a creepy spidery sense to run down his spine, making him shiver.

"Yeah, weird, huh?" Josh replied, shrugging his shoulders before moving forward again.

Both of them failed to see the eyes watching them from the trees only a few feet from them.

"Very," Harry responded, not as quick as Josh to dismiss it; the wrongness was making his stomach twist unpleasantly. His dad always said to trust your instincts, that they would never lead you astray; that had been years ago when he had bonded with his wolf, Luna. Was this his instincts? Or him just feeling weird because he didn't have Luna with him today? It was the longest he'd been without her.

* * *

><p>Luna was scrambling around the forest, her 'sister' chasing her, howls leaving their lips at random intervals. She'd just broken through the clearing before she was tackled by her. They growled at each other, swatting their legs at one another, trying to get the upper hand in their play fight. Although most humans would be terrified that they were really fighting, they weren't. Even her humans knew she wasn't being hurt and never told them to stop. She had a lot of fun with her pack, but there was no denying she preferred her human.<p>

Snarling and snapping, Luna managed to bite down on her sister's neck before the struggle renewed. Evidently she wasn't about to give in; the other wolf managed to catch Luna off-guard, and she was back on her feet and jumping. Luna, distracted, didn't react, and she fell with a thump to the floor.

The black wolf nudged Luna with her nose, enquiring what was wrong ― why she was no longer playing. The other wolves who had been watching started to close in, wondering what was wrong with one of their own. The Alpha was the one to voice his thoughts, demanding to know what was going on.

All they got was "My Human's in trouble" as she bolted from the back garden and through the bushes, and jumped over the gate. She never once slowed down as she ran, her nails scraping along the pavement, tongue hanging out as she began to pant. She could feel where her human was, and could also feel herself getting closer.

* * *

><p>"Have you picked your class yet?" Harry asked curiously. They were picking yet another magical class for the next year; he was seriously contemplating asking Headmaster Adison if he could take Wandless classes early. They always helped people that wanted it; in fact Caroline, who was a girl a few years ahead of him, had gotten into the class a year earlier, and she was still taking it. She spoke about it with excitement; she loved it. She had been fourteen though, fifteen now, so maybe he wouldn't be able to take it for a few more years.<p>

"I'm not sure what to pick! Advanced Latin is going to be tough though," Josh said. "Which one are you thinking about taking?"

"Well, I was thinking of Alchemy," Harry confessed. "It sounds fascinating, and I'm good at potions, so that class should be easy."

"Maybe," Josh said. "I just wish we didn't get so much homework," he complained, giving his bag an evil look where his bundle of homework was currently waiting for him to do it.

"Yeah; at least your dad doesn't make you do extra work!" Harry pointed out. Ever since his dad had found out about his "not being good enough" at maths, he'd made sure to help him. He'd hated that teacher for that; she had been mean as hell. A few 'A's, and apparently he wasn't good enough for her class. Although after his dad's help he had been getting 'EE's', so she could say nothing. Not that he'd put up with her long; oddly enough, at the end of that year she'd left, and they had a new maths teacher.

"Even when you have loads of homework?" Josh gaped; he hadn't known that tidbit.

"Well…only once a week," Harry conceded, "usually after I've done the rest of my homework."

"Well that's not so bad," Josh consoled. "My dad always makes sure my homework is done and good enough."

"Teachers," both Harry and Josh said in unison, grinning wryly; they'd said that together more than once before.

"Oh, I am so hungry!" Josh muttered. "I can't wait to get home."

"Here," Harry said, removing his bag from his shoulder and throwing a packet of crisps over to his friend.

"Didn't you eat at recess?" Josh asked; he could have sworn Harry had. Nonetheless, he dug into the crisps with relish; these were just perfect.

"Packed lunch; dad knew I was playing in the Quidditch tournament and didn't know when it would end, so he made sure that I would have something if it didn't end in time for lunch," Harry explained, shrugging his shoulders as he looped his bag back onto his shoulder.

"Makes sense," Josh murmured through a mouthful of crisps.

Just then Harry felt the spike of magic worse than ever, and an incoming incantation; not thinking, he ran at Josh and knocked them both off their feet. Scrambling back up, he stood staring wide-eyed at the wizard who stood before him. Long greasy black hair fell all the way down his chest, which was gaunt, as was the rest of his body, knotted and horrible-looking; evil blue eyes glared at them. His clothes were well worn and dirty from mud and green stains, like when he played football. He felt Josh grabbing a hold of his arm, as both of them backed away.

"Stay away!" Harry snapped, drawing his wand and aiming it at the wizard. Another wand joined his, as both he and Josh continued to back away, Harry almost losing his footing due to uneven ground.

"Silly little wizards," the wizard chuckled, licking his lips. He was going to have so much fun with both of them. "_Expelliarmus!_"

"_Pro-_" Harry didn't quite manage to get the words out before he was disarmed; Josh was too.

"Harry!" Josh whined, urging him further back; he was quite frankly terrified ― the wizard was terrifying.

"Too easy," he said, stalking forward, but the boys kept scrambling backwards. They were still in a pretty secluded spot, which was why he'd chosen here of all places.

"Stay back!" Josh warned, despite his fear.

All that earned them was a chuckle, as he inhaled sharply, enjoying the smell of their fear. He couldn't linger too long, he didn't want to be caught, after all ― he just wanted the boys.

"_Stupefy! Stupefy_!" the wizard muttered, aiming for both boys.

Harry shoved Josh behind him, and shouted "_PROTEGO_!" wishing with all his might that it would work like his dad and teachers showed him. He watched the spells getting closer, cringing, his eyes sliding closed but he opened one, unable to keep his eyes closed.

The spells got within touching distance before they flared off and bounced back, returning to their originator who leaped aside, avoiding the spells, stunned that the boy had done Wandless magic. He didn't remain that way for long, he couldn't let them get away. He aimed his wand, ready to fire off a spell that would most assuredly get through a simple shield charm. He opened his mouth and uttered, "_Ossis Effergo,"_ sneering at the boy. Then his mind went numb as pain assaulted him, causing him to scream in unholy agony and drop his wand. Harry cried out as the spell splintered through his shield, catching him in the leg.

"LUNA!" cried the two boys in relief, both of them scrambling to get their wands, Harry slower and bum-shuffling due to his injury.

"_Stupefy_!" Harry cast at the same time that Josh cast "_Incarcerous_!"

"Get his wand," Harry urged, sitting on the ground, unable to move; tears prickled at his eyes, he was in so much pain. "I want my dad," he managed to choke out as Luna licked at his face and howled very loudly, causing both Josh and Harry to wince at the loudness. Then she began to circle around them, growling at any sound that occurred.

"Can you get up?" Josh asked, offering his best friend his arm.

"No," Harry denied, shaking his head, his hands clenched together in agony. "I want my dad." His dad would be able to make his pain go away.

Just as he said that Luna howled again, louder than before, nearly splitting the boy's eardrums.

"Good girl," Harry said, reaching over to pet her. Just then her ears perked up and her tail began wagging as she licked his face again. '_They heard,' _she said excitedly; hopefully they would tell his human father.

"Do you want me to get him?" Josh asked, looking reluctant; he didn't want to leave his friend…what if he passed out? What if the bad wizard took him? He didn't want anything to happen to him.

"Yes," Harry said, before saying, "No; he's coming." Luna telepathically let him know that his dad was coming. She was licking at his face again, as if she could somehow take away his pain. He buried his face into her thick fur; she'd saved him, saved both of them.

"How do you know?" Josh asked blankly.

Harry grimaced. "Luna can communicate with her pack and us," he reluctantly admitted. Although they rarely did, instead depending on their animal instincts first and foremost…well, the pack at least. Luna was different. Probably because she'd been raised domesticated, or because she was his familiar.

"You didn't tell me that. I'd be angry right now, but I'm just too relieved," Josh whispered, sitting next to Harry keeping an eye on the unmoving, bound wizard.

Just then a couple began walking down towards the pathway, and Luna went nuts. Her fur was fully up, and she was growling, snarling and barking at them. She lunged at the surprised couple, who Harry recognized as Mr. and Mrs. Scott; they paled drastically, not moving from the spot where they'd frozen.

"Are you boys okay?" Mrs. Scott asked, her eyes roaming around the scene and landing on Harry's leg, which was sitting at an odd angle.

"Janice, don't go any closer," James said, urging his wife back and staring at the still-barking wolf; he'd never seen the wolf act like that before. He wasn't above admitting he was utterly terrified that it might come and actually attack them.

"I won't, don't worry," Janice said, placating her husband, "She's just protecting him, that's all. Just keep your wand handy." Her eyes sharpened, falling on the unconscious person nearby. She didn't need to be a genius to figure out what had happened; obviously Harry had been attacked and Luna had defended him, judging by the vicious looking wound on his arm. It was ripped to shreds; even with potions there was no way it would heal perfectly. Not that she cared about that! He'd tried clearly tried to harm a child, and in her book he should be killed on the spot.

"Bloody hell," he muttered paling further when two additional wolves joined in, one midnight black, the biggest of them all, and a white female.

Harry almost gaped in surprise, the Alpha himself had come? He was guarding his back, he realized, a protective rumble leaving his throat at the same time. A warm feeling spread through his heart, as he realized, for the first time perhaps, how much the wolves loved him. He loved them all, Luna most of all, but all the others received the same amount of love from him. The alpha didn't play often; he would come up when Harry had food for them and take his first and stay nearby, especially if there were cubs, but other than that he stood guard over his pack with pride. Harry's eyes began to prickle again, this time not just in pain. Leaning over, he stroked the black wolf, whispering, "Thank you," reverently, burrowing his face in his fur much as he had done with Luna.

'We swore to look after you, cub,' was all the Alpha had to say, and Harry was a cub, no matter how much he had grown. He was their cub; all the wolves recognized him as such.

Flashing back to the first time he saw him, Harry remembered how he'd given the alpha a biscuit and how the big wolf had slobbered all over him. He closed his eyes and realized the trueness of his words; he had scent-marked him. At the time, he'd thought it was just them being friendly. Dogs liked to lick all the time, and whether Wolves liked it or not, dogs were their descendants; they still had some of the instincts of the wolf. He would never do them the disservice of openly comparing them. He had read so many books on wolves, nearly all of them magical, although some had been non-magical. Oddly enough, he'd learned more from observing Luna and the pack.

The padding of feet had Harry looking around, hoping it was his dad; he didn't know how much more of this pain he could handle. Unfortunately, it wasn't; it was one of the female wolves. Her white coat was unmistakable, even just her muzzle as she rounded the corner. He worried that she had been hurt too, only for a moment, until he saw that his dad was behind her. Relief swept through him; she must have come slowly to guide him to them. "DAD!" he cried out, relieved beyond belief to see him. The wolves didn't even twitch when Severus made his appearance.

Severus' eyes narrowed in on the scene in front of him, his mouth twisting as he noticed the stunned wizard. It took everything in him not to go over there and show him that he should never have messed with his son! Yet he didn't; he had to deal with this legally, especially if he wanted to avoid ending up in prison. There were witnesses here, and that would have made life uncomfortable. "Go fetch the Aurors!" he said to them, angry that they were more interested in what was going on than helping.

"Go, James, be quick!" Janice urged.

"I want my mum and dad," Josh said, shivering as the adrenaline burning out left him feeling shaken.

"Your dad works at the school, doesn't he?" Janice asked. She stepped forward without thinking, but the wolves didn't react, although Luna did eye her somewhat suspiciously.

"Yes," Josh said trembling.

"You'll be fine. Both of you were extremely brave; just take a few deep breaths," Severus said, stopping his inspection of Harry to give Josh the comfort he evidently needed.

Josh swallowed thickly and nodded.

Severus unwound his potions pouch and gathered a few vials. Quickly unstopping the pain reliever, he helped Harry swallow it, watching his son relax as the pain left him. He didn't need to do a diagnostic scan to know Harry had been hit with a bone-breaking curse. An Auror-grade one, if he wasn't mistaken, since more than one bone was broken. Merlin, he wanted to rip that damn wizard to shreds.

"My shield didn't work," Harry murmured, sounding embarrassed and disappointed, even in his hazy state. The pain killer Severus had given him was a high-level one; it had had to be, with the state of Harry's leg.

Grasping his son's chin, he told him firmly, "The spell he used was an Auror-grade spell, Harry; no amount of power in your shielding spell would have prevented it from splintering through." He'd wanted the wolves on his side, thinking they would be good allies to have; he had also thought he'd never have to use them. For years nothing out of the norm had happened, and now this? He owed the wolves everything; they had saved his son and his son's friend.

The wolves immediately tensed when pops surrounded the area, as wizards in black robes with red borders made an appearance.

"What happened here?" demanded Bryon. Severus assumed he was the Head Auror, judging by his tone, stance, and his badge. The others fanned out around the area; one checked to see if the unconscious wizard was still breathing.

"It's him!" Maxwell exclaimed; he was the Auror checking the downed wizard, and was staring at the man with recognition.

"You know him?" Bryon demanded stepping forward, gazing at him as well.

"It's Amir Mohammad; he's wanted in twelve different countries! He disappeared off the radar completely in Spain!" Maxwell's tone was indignant and extremely surprised. How on earth had the wizard managed to get here, of all places? He must be using a false identity, but who would help him? Gringotts certainly wouldn't dare, surely? Not even for all the money in the world. He was on the posters in the Aurors' office; in the Number Three spot among the Most Wanteds.

"Get him in," Bryon boomed. "Clark, go with them." He was taking no chances when it came to the people of this country. He would not let this piece of work escape, potentially to harm anyone else.

"Where's Janice?" James asked, once things calmed down a bit and the culprit was gone.

"She's gone to the school to get Josh's father," Severus curtly explained, as he hoisted his son into his arms.

"He needs the hospital," the Auror said, his tone changing rapidly.

"I can heal him myself; I am a potions Master," Severus told him bluntly.

"His injuries need to be recorded," Bryon quietly explained. "I understand the desire to have him healed, and it will only take a moment." The boy looked ready to pass out; his head was leaning against the shoulder of the man whom Bryon presumed was his father, almost asleep.

"Then hold on," Severus said uncompromisingly. His son was not going to the hospital; he wasn't leaving him there overnight by himself with this piece of dirt within a ten-mile radius. Hell, he wouldn't allow it even if it were only the same country.

"JOSH!" Mac called, his face filled with worry as he ran towards his son, hugging him tightly. "What happened, son?"

"That's what we will find out," the Auror, Bryon, said firmly.

"Here is my address; I'm taking my son home; my wife is probably frantic," Mac said, handing over his address. He'd sent her a Patronus as soon as Mrs. Scott had burst into his classroom... which, thankfully, had been empty; he didn't have any students in detention or staying after school. He had purposely been vague on where he was going, not wishing for her to show up in hysterics.

Bryon accepted the card in bemusement; it wasn't normal protocol at all. Both fathers were dictating the terms, but considering the victims were children, maybe it was for the best. Children would be at more ease in their own homes, but with their parents? Well, he would find out soon enough. If it didn't work, then he would just demand that they come to the office and give their statements, it was simple as that. If he wasn't being eyed by four wolves, he might have said something different.

"Go home!" Severus said to the four wolves, and just like that they bolted away.

Bryon gaped; this wizard seemed to have full control over them. Perhaps he should head to the office and see what he could find out about him first.

"Thank you, Septimus," Mac said, patting him on the shoulder and nodding grimly before he Apparated away with his son.

"You aren't Septimus Regis, are you?" Deke Byron asked.

"Indeed," Severus replied, wondering how he'd popped up on Deke's radar.

"Talin has spoken of you often," Deke said, "S…"

"Shall we get going? It's getting dark and cold. I need to see to my son before magic begins to try and heal the damage done, and I have more work to do to heal him properly," Severus sharply interrupted him.

That, and Luna would be back at the house and getting extremely anxious at what was taking him so long. Hopefully she would be able to sense how content Harry was; she'd felt Harry's fear this far away? Not that it should be surprising; she could find him no matter where he went. For that, the wolf had his eternal gratitude.

"Of course," Deke said; he understood that as a father himself.

* * *

><p><strong>Seven Hours Later<strong>

Severus sighed for the millionth time that night, sitting down by the roaring fire, holding a cup of coffee and wishing for something much stronger. He couldn't help but be glad that he was finally able to breathe without someone else's presence at his neck. Perhaps that wasn't a good thing, though, Severus thought, since the bubbling fury was coming back, especially now that he knew just what kind of wizard Amir Mohammad was. It made him sick to his stomach; and people thought Death Eaters were bad? Merlin, that wizard made them look like law-abiding magical citizens.

A knock at the door had him cursing, both at the fact that he was so distracted that he hadn't felt the wards shift, and because he was being annoyed again. At least he didn't need to worry about Harry's waking up; the second dose of pain reliever he'd been given had knocked him out, and would keep him out, probably for the rest of the night. Harry might be nine years old, but it was the first time he'd been given such strong potions.

Opening the door, he arched a tired eyebrow at Talin; he was unusually sombre.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Talin asked softly, holding up a bottle of firewhiskey and a six-pack of butterbeer.

"Why am I not surprised it got around so quickly?" Severus pointed out sardonically, but nonetheless he opened the door.

"Are you kidding? Something like this happening? Everyone is furious and quite frankly scared; I won't be surprised if the kids aren't at school tomorrow," Talin said, still sounding strained. "Although considering how it could have gone… I would prefer this to any other outcome."

Severus walked through to the kitchen and grabbed two beer glasses, vowing not to consume too much firewhiskey. He wandered back through to his guest, a frown on his face as he contemplated what Talin had said; he didn't even want to think about it, in reality. He'd always assumed everything would work out, that they were both safe here, but today had been one hell of a wake-up call. He'd almost had a heart attack when the Alpha had spoken to him ― telling him that his 'human cub' was in danger. He handed the beer glasses to Talin, who poured a generous amount of firewhiskey into each, then added the butterbeer and passed one back over.

"How is he?" Talin asked, "I heard he was injured." It was more of a question than a statement, since he wasn't one for listening to rumours.

"Three broken bones in his leg," Severus told him, his nostrils flaring as he thought about it. "He used _Ossis Effergo._" His teeth gritted painfully; knowing the whole story had made his feelings much stronger. "It would have been worse if his shield hadn't been up." It could have caused Harry permanent injury, a limp, a constant pain in his leg, or even worse, required amputation.

Talin winced in sympathy. Harry must have been in agony. Severus was right; thank Merlin for his shield charm. Having finished his first drink, he poured them both their second one; he really shouldn't drink more, since he had work in the morning.

"He'd better not see the light of day ever, or I will kill him myself," Severus promised.

"Have you ever thought about what could have happened the first time around?" Talin asked, feeling a little sick as the question left his mouth.

"First time around?" Severus echoed; he was feeling rather buzzed with the alcohol, so Talin's unexpected question didn't exactly penetrate his mind.

"Well, if you hadn't chosen to come here, if the timeline hadn't been disturbed… Mac and Jill could have been mourning their son… knowing what had happened to him beforehand… I…" Talin shuddered; it was freaking him out just thinking about it. "You coming here may have saved them all." And he didn't need to explain to Severus why it would have killed Mac and Jill; it was well-known that they lived for their son.

"There is little point to thinking of such things; it did not happen," Severus stated sharply. He had come back; as would his other self, otherwise he wouldn't be here. Merlin, he hated thinking about time travel; it messed with your head like nothing else. His mind was focusing on the pictures he had seen when he'd got hold of the files at the police station. He hadn't thought of them for so many years, and loathed the fact that he was now.

"No, no it didn't; here's to fixing past mistakes," Talin said, clinking the glasses together and gulping the drink down. Severus might be making it seem like nothing, but if he hadn't become Septimus... well, a lot of lives would be different, and nobody knew that. Only he knew just what a difference the wizard had made to their community.

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><p>Edited by Jake and Jordre thank you so much guys! :D<p> 


	36. Chapter 36

**Fixing Past Mistakes **

**Chapter 36 **

**Truth and Trust **

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><p>"Harry, you need to eat; your dad will go nuts if he knows you aren't eating," Dylan told him, shoving a plate at him, with half his own lunch on it. Half a burger and dozens of French fries, it was better than nothing; he wasn't quite sure why, but Septimus hated when Harry went without food. He always made sure he had more than enough to eat, and made sure he ate his dinner - even when they were over. Although if Harry got into something he would forget to eat, and he didn't ever seem to get hungry.<p>

"Watch it!" Harry cursed, just managing to stop the greasy chips from splattering all over his Alchemy homework. Rolling his eyes, he wiped the salt and grease from his hands down his trouser leg, grumbling inwardly. "I need to get this done."

"Why aren't you taking it home?" Josh asked, gazing at Harry quizzically; this wasn't his usual behaviour. He didn't do his homework here; in fact, he had never seen him do it once in six years of schooling together.

"The book can't be taken from the school," Harry murmured while he chewed on a few French fries; it just reminded him of how hungry he was.

"Rare book section?" Dylan said; it wasn't really a question, more of a statement.

"Yeah," Harry replied, grinning sheepishly, they weren't normally allowed out of the library actually, but he'd convinced the librarian to let him do it during recess. It helped that the book was heavily charmed to prevent any damage... well, accidental ones, like getting food on it or dropping it. It couldn't be taken past the school wards, though. One seventeen-year-old had forgotten about it a few years ago; the wards had locked down on her and the racket caused by the magical wailing had been unbelievably loud. The really rare books weren't allowed to be handled by anyone under sixteen and not without gloves; they definitely couldn't be removed from their cases, never mind the library.

"That's not Latin," Josh remarked, learning over to see the book.

"No, Italian, Ciovanni Carbonelli. I don't have books on Alchemy, but I think I'll ask dad for some," Harry said, his lips pursed. His Italian wasn't as good as his Latin, since he'd been taking Latin lessons since he was four, basically; that language came second nature to him. Italian came harder, especially considering this was an older version of Italian and used words that he wasn't familiar with. His dad had encouraged his love for reading; he had so many books that it was unbelievable that he had none on Alchemy yet, but he was hopeful.

"Well you won't be getting that one," Dylan snorted in amusement, "Do you want something else to eat?" He was still hungry; digging his money out of his pocket, he counted it up. He had enough for some crisps from the machine and maybe a few sweets. They were sitting at a big round table; not many people were left, since lunch was nearly over.

"Actually, yes; can you get me some French fries?" Harry asked, handing over some money without looking at it. "A chocolate bar as well; I really need to get this finished. If you need to use my money to get something else, do it." A frown was building up on his face, before he quickly deciphered what it said and began to write in his own words what he wanted to say in his notebook.

_Harrison Regis _

_year six _

_What is Alchemy? _

_Alchemy is an influential tradition whose practitioners have, from antiquity, claimed it to be the precursor to profound powers. As described by Paul-Jacques Malouin in The Encyclopaedia of Diderot it is the chemistry of the subtlest kind which allows one to observe extraordinary chemical operations at a more rapid pace__―__ones that require a long time for nature to produce. Definitions of the objectives of alchemy are varied but historically have typically included one or more of the following goals: the creation of the Philosopher's stone; the ability to transmute base metals into the noble metals like gold or silver, and the development of an elixir of life, which confers youth and longevity._

_Though alchemy played a significant role in the development of early modern science, it differs significantly from modern science in its inclusion of Hermetic principles and practices related to mythology, magic, religion, and spirituality. It is recognized as a protoscience that contributed to the development of modern chemistry and medicine. Alchemists developed a structure of basic laboratory techniques, theory, terminology, and experimental method, some of which are still in use today. However, alchemists predated modern foundations of chemistry, such as scientific scepticism, atomic theory, the modern understanding of a chemical element and a chemical substance, the periodic table and conservation of mass and stoichiometry. Instead, they believed in four elements, and cryptic symbolism and mysticism was an integral part of alchemical work. _

"Why did I take Alchemy again?" Harry grumbled, as he put his pen down, this was the sort of thing his teacher should have given them at the start of term, not near the end, although he understood why she had; it was extremely difficult to put into words. He was trying to put it into his own words, but many of them were way over his head. He was only ten years old after all, but he was very advanced. So far he'd only explored in detail the individual symbols that composed alchemical emblems and developed the ability to analyse and read alchemical emblems. A great deal of graphic material, examples of emblems, was contained in these lessons. The lessons included: How to recognise alchemical symbols; the geometry of alchemical emblems; triangles, squares, and circles in emblems; symbols in opposition to one another; resolution of opposites like male/female; resolution of opposites snake; trees; an initial look at birds; variations between different versions of emblems; animals in the emblem space; the human figure; the lion; the dragon; different types of emblems; the general alchemical process.

"Because you thought it would be like Potions?" Josh replied, nabbing a few chips from the plate.

"Well it's not," Harry said, his lips pursed, "It's a mixture of science and potions, magic, faith, and chemicals all mixed into one."

"Why do you think there's only five people in that class?" Dylan enquired, as he sat down, obviously having heard the end of their conversation. He placed the food at the centre of the table, away from Harry's work; the chocolate bar went right next to him. He had decided to get Harry a chocolate frog and a packet of sugar quills. "This is a complicated subject, only really smart people can figure this stuff out. I am smart but I couldn't even begin to understand the complexity behind it. Give me Potions and Chemistry any day."

"But that's all Alchemy is!" Harry protested, "And I think you could do it if you applied yourself." He thought that Dylan was the smartest of them. At test times they all had their good and bad subjects but between them they helped each other out and tutored each other. Dylan was brilliant at Chemistry and Charms, Josh was best at Transfiguration and defence.

"I didn't take Italian, and my Latin is rusty," Dylan said, shaking his head, "It's gibberish to me."

"That's only because you stopped taking Latin lessons as soon as you could," Josh pointed out, nabbing more chips.

Dylan shrugged, "I wanted to learn Spanish, plus I'm still learning Latin, just not in lessons." You couldn't learn magic without learning Latin; it was impossible. "Although I do think about going to the after-school lessons; I like the idea of creating my own spells," he added devilishly. "Like your dad."

"Then you'll definitely need Latin," Harry agreed. His dad always said they could create their own spells, that the possibilities were endless. It didn't surprise him that Dylan wanted to create his own spells, he had every single one of his dad's books, on spell crafting. "I take it you'll be taking spell crafting next year?"

"I thought you had to be thirteen?" Dylan confessed.

"It's on the subject list for our potential classes this year," Harry told them. He was tempted to take it but he couldn't, not without dropping a different subject; his timetable was already full. Or it would be when he added Wandless classes to the list; he'd been given permission by the Headmaster to do it. "Haven't you looked yet?"

"No, I had too much homework last night," Dylan replied. "I know, I know; I should have done it earlier," he added, knowing what Harry and Josh were going to say. "I ended up playing on the computer with my brother, next thing I know my mum's complaining that it's past my bedtime," he said drolly.

"Ah, so that's why you were so tired!" Josh exclaimed, sniggering quietly. He'd been bored and gone over to Harry's for a game of Quidditch; they rarely played in the play park anymore; bad memories. Dylan understood, thankfully, and never asked to go. It had scared them half to death, just how close they'd come to being hurt or worse. Well, it was "or worse;" Josh and Harry had overheard the Auror and their parents talking. The wizard had kidnapped hundreds of children all over the world, getting them addicted to extremely dangerous potions and selling them off to the highest bidder. That was only his "part-time job," the Auror had said, and had gone on to tell them that he was a terrorist. He'd killed many people; the Aurors were only able to prove twenty-two jobs, but suspected he was involved in dozens of others. It had been hugely embarrassing afterwards, with his parents coming to get him from school; they'd only relented on the security recently. That was only because Septimus, Harry's dad, had suggested a Portkey, like the one Harry had wrapped around his neck at all times. It couldn't be removed by anyone; their P.E teacher had tried to remove Harry's, only to end up getting a shock. They weren't supposed to wear jewellery in P.E., but an exception had been made and approved by Headmaster Adison ― for both of them.

Dylan just smirked and shrugged his shoulders.

"Finished," Harry said, giving off a quiet cheer. "I'm dreading next year, though; if this is a beginner's course and next year is an advanced course, it's going to be difficult."

"I'm sure your dad will help," Dylan suggested, finishing off his food.

"Dad doesn't know much about Alchemy, it wasn't something he studied," Harry said shaking his head. Hogwarts didn't offer that subject, but people here didn't know his dad had attended school; they thought he was home-schooled. He wasn't sure why his dad insisted on the lie, just like he didn't understand why he was Severus at home but everyone else thought he was Septimus. He'd never asked about it; he was just used to it. It was all he remembered... well, that and bad dreams sometimes that he didn't understand. A purple-faced man, a red-faced woman, and a dark enclosed space and hunger. He had a few theories, but they were probably wrong.

"Come now, boys, shoo!" one of the cleaners said, trying to usher the three children out of the lunch hall so they could clean up. "Classes will be starting soon; go on before you're late."

Harry, Dylan, and Josh jerked their heads up, looking around in surprise. They hadn't even realized everyone else was gone... or heard it getting quiet. Hastily, but carefully Harry put the book in his bag, rolled up his drying homework and slid it inside, as well as his pens. Grabbing his sweets, Josh grabbed the last of the French fries on his plate before they all murmured their goodbyes as they scampered out of the lunch hall.

"I'm going to the library," Harry told them. It got really packed after school with students all wanting to take books out; he didn't want to have to wait in a huge line. He was going straight home today; he didn't have any after-school activities today, they were mostly finished with.

"Our next class is on that level, Harry," Josh reminded him absently. It was his favourite class, Transfiguration; his favourite teacher as well.

"The holidays can't come quick enough," Dylan groaned, as he suppressed a yawn. He would sleep for as long as possible, but they all felt like this by the end of the year and for the first few months of the new term. He had to remind himself he had only two more classes and he was free for months.

"Are you going on holiday this year?" Harry asked both of them as they stalked towards the library quickly. They were very strict about students not being late for classes unless there was a very good reason for it. In fact, the potions teacher didn't allow students to come in if they were late, and the cauldrons had already been set up.

"For three weeks in Aspen; we're going skiing. Dad's an expert and he's wanted to teach us for years, but mum put her foot down, insisting that we would go only when we were old enough." Dylan laughed, "I don't think mum likes the thought of skiing, to be honest; she can't even skate."

"But kids go skiing all the time," Josh said confused, as they stepped into the library, "Don't they?" he whispered... keeping quiet seeing as they were in the library.

"Yeah," Dylan nodded in agreement, "It's just now that we're older, she's run out of excuses." He was sniggering softly, remembering the look on his mum's face when she'd finally had to give in. His dad hadn't even waited, he was out of the house in a shot to book the holiday. He hoped the resort was in a magic part of Aspen, since his mum wouldn't worry so much if she could openly use magic and not constantly keep them under supervision. "What about your parents?" They were both teachers and liked to get away during the summer and spent time with Josh; they usually did every year. Dylan's parents didn't though; in fact, they'd only been abroad three times, this would be the fourth ― although it was always great fun. His dad had brought eight outfits that would be warm enough for such severely cold weather. It was four more times than Harry; he'd never been on holiday, and Harry didn't seem to mind. You couldn't really go on holiday when you had pets like wolves and snakes.

"I don't know, they've not said anything… after what happened last year, I don't think they're keen on me going anywhere. Hell, they wanted to pull me from school and get me taught at home. Dad was this close to agreeing with her," Josh said, illustrating just how close with his thumb and index finger. "But I think he realized that if something was going to happen, it would happen whether they were at home or if I was a million miles away."

Dylan's good mood sobered quicker than lightening, he remembered that week, as if it had happened only yesterday. That wasn't really accurate; he hadn't been told until days afterwards when he'd finally recovered from being sick. Although after he'd found out he'd felt a different kind of sick; he had been horror-struck for his two best friends. They had been different for weeks after it happened, but they'd bounced back with everyone's help; even the teachers had banded together to make it easier for them. He'd wanted to pummel the wizard to death, for daring to hurt his best friends. Especially Harry, who had been absent from school until he was better. It was true about Josh's mum though, as embarrassed as Josh appeared, he could see he was also grateful for her... at least in the beginning right after it happened.

"Ready to go?" Harry asked, returning to them unaware of their previous conversation.

"Yep, I can't wait; we're supposed to be learning about the Patronus charm today," Dylan said, his previous mood disappearing as excitement began again. "And the charm to repel Boggarts."

"We already know about the Patronus charm, and we won't be learning how to cast it," Harry pointed out, but that was only because they'd read ahead. "And I never understood why that spell isn't part of the defence curriculum."

"Well, I wouldn't consider a Boggart dark," Josh commented idly, as they leaned against the wall beside the charms classroom.

"They could be; depends on what you're afraid off," Harry replied thoughtfully. What was he scared of? What would a Boggart turn into with him? He didn't know; he couldn't think of anything that really scared him other than disappointing his dad or losing him. He shrugged indifferently; they wouldn't really be facing a Boggart anyway, would they? "You don't think we will have a Boggart in the class today?"

"No, they tell us before doing practical work; we'll just be practicing the incantation today…" Dylan said, his tone thoughtful, perhaps doubting his own word.

"It's easy," Harry commented, "We'll be doing some practical work today… or a pop quiz."

"Ugh," Josh muttered in complaint, "I really don't want another pop quiz; we've already done our end-of-year tests! If I see one more, I'll scream."

"How do you think you did in the English tests? Did you write a story or a theory?" Harry asked; they'd been too exhausted to talk about it yesterday.

"Theory," Josh and Dylan said in sync, ignoring the other students that were beginning to circle outside the classroom door.

"I decided on a story, although I think I should have chosen theory," Harry admitted.

"Me too," Dion claimed, from across the way. "I hope it doesn't affect my grades." They'd given the students options on what to write about, three in total, and she'd picked one that sounded the best; after writing about her choice, she was less sure.

"Good afternoon everyone," the teacher said, flicking the door open and allowing the students entrance. They all quickly piled in, looking around for clues as to what they would be doing today, but they couldn't find any.

* * *

><p>"LUNA!" Harry called out, grinning widely as he jogged over to his familiar. It didn't seem at all possible, but they had gotten even closer since she'd saved him. Without her, who knew what would have happened? If she hadn't distracted the wizardly kidnapper, they could have been taken, or worse, killed right there and then. He'd heard his dad talking to Talin― oops; Headmaster Adison― when he'd said that without the shield charm he could have lost his leg, or potentially his life if it had been left unhealed long enough.<p>

"That's my dad; I'll see you later, Harry," Josh said, running his hand through his hair. He'd just got them to relent on security; why was his dad here? Grumbling halfheartedly under his breath, Josh wandered over, waving at Harry to let him know without saying anything that he would see him later. Dylan had remained behind to ask the teacher a few things, telling them just to head off and not wait for him.

Harry waved back, before hoisting his bag onto his back and wandering back home with Luna flanking him, keeping him safe from all harm.

"School's finished for the summer, Luna; it will be just you, me, and dad for a while," Harry told her as he brushed his hand through her thick hair. He was looking forward to spending time with his dad; all week he only really got an hour or so a day with him, between doing his homework and his dad writing his next book. On the weekends, both of them liked to sleep in a few hours. Then he did more homework, while his dad brewed potions... although Sunday was the one day when they didn't do anything, with the rare exception being if he had too much homework to do on Saturday and couldn't get it all done. It had only happened twice; he'd learned to have all his homework done by Sunday.

Luna nudged him as she agreed with him silently, her sharp eyes keeping a watch on their surroundings as they walked.

"Already home," Harry said sighing softly, feeling his shoulders relaxing as he wandered in. Luna, as always, followed him. Moving into the living room, he saw it was empty, so he did what he always did when that happened. "DAD, I'm home!" he yelled, listening intently for a reply.

"I'll be up in a minute; ask Heather to put the dinner on," Severus called up, from where he was situated in the Potions lab.

-0

**Potions Lab **

"All right," Severus heard Harry shout back.

Breathing deeply, he was trying to relax, but it was a futile exercise. He had been tense all day; even brewing couldn't help him one iota. Time was running out. He'd been saying he would tell Harry for the past six months; he couldn't, wouldn't spring this on Harry and then take him to the UK― that was wrong on so many levels. No, he needed time to come to terms with what he would be told; as much as he would love to keep Harry oblivious, it just wasn't possible. He couldn't do that to Black, Lupin, or Minerva; hell, even Filius didn't deserve it.

Merlin help him, being here had turned him bloody soft, Severus couldn't help but muse wryly.

They deserved to know Harry was alive and well. His mind travelled to the last time he saw them. Their eyes had been wide with worry, fear, and undiluted hope that the Goblins could somehow come through for them. Minerva cared for him, even if it had taken him a long time to admit it; she didn't deserve to go on thinking something had happened to him, and that he had failed and Harry was dead. While he didn't care for Black or Lupin, Harry's death had destroyed them. While it would have made him smug to see them so desolate after everything they'd put him through, he wasn't that man anymore.

Telling them required his first telling Harry everything. Over the years he had expected Harry to question things. Like why he was Septimus to everyone else but Severus at home when nobody around other than them and the House-elves were there. Yet the boy had never asked. He was ten years old, and extremely smart... and it wasn't just the proud parent in him talking; he was smarter than the sixteen-year-old students back at Hogwarts. Admittedly there were some things that Harry and his classmates hadn't learnt yet that sixth-year students at Hogwarts would know, but there was also a lot of information he had that the students at Hogwarts would be totally oblivious about.

His son had been learning about Alchemy, for Merlin's sake; Alchemy! Before the subject had been removed from Hogwarts' curriculum, you couldn't take it before you were fifteen years old.

He wasn't looking forward to this at all.

Severus closed his mind off, doing the mindless task of filling the vials with the potion he'd just created. He had no idea how to tell the boy he loved more than his own life that the magical world had abandoned him and left him for dead… how he had stood by and done nothing. Well, he hadn't, really; he had always rescued Harry and brought him up, even before... oh, even after all these years, trying to understand this paradox he was in was extremely distasteful, and gave him the worst headaches.

No matter how Harry reacted, he had to give him the time and patience to deal with this.

He just had no idea if he could tell him the complete, uncensored truth.

* * *

><p>Edited by Jake and Jordre thank you :)<p> 


	37. Chapter 37

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 37**

**The Truth**

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><p>Severus made his way to the living room, trying to keep a grip on his composure. Not even facing the Dark Lord had made him feel this way. He was terrified Harry would hate him for what had happened, for something that was in his past, quite literally for him a lifetime ago. The thought of Harry's hating him wounded his heart just imagining it; if it could hurt imagining, what would it be like experiencing the real thing? No, he wouldn't think on it; this had to happen whether he liked the outcome or not. He just hoped that Harry would understand that these things that had happened ... were not part of his future now.<p>

"Are you all right, Dad?" Harry asked, looking up from his spot on the two-seater couch where he was currently fiddling with paper. He hadn't seen that look on Severus' face since he'd been attacked; that was a year ago now. The wizard had been imprisoned and would be executed for his crimes after he'd served a life sentence.

"We need to talk," Severus told Harry, his tone distracted as he sat on the main couch.

Harry bit his lip to stop himself from saying "we are;" his dad didn't look to be in the mood for much of anything today, never mind smiling or smirking or giving him a deadpan look for his cheekiness ― not that he was ever cheeky to his dad, at least not very often. "All right," Harry agreed, putting his homework to the side and levitating his schoolbag to the hallway, where it always stayed on a hook next to the cloaks.

"Come over here," Severus requested, pointing to the seat next to him.

Frowning lightly, concern churning in his gut, he took a seat beside his dad, staring at him intently as if he could somehow get the answer that way. Not that it worked; his dad just became even more closed off. "Does it have something to do with what happened last year?" Harry questioned.

"No, it has nothing to do with that," Severus revealed, his lips twisting as if he wanted to let a snarl leave his lips. He didn't even like thinking about what could have happened, never mind what actually had. If Harry had not been injured… he would have killed the damn wizard for hurting his son. His son… dear Merlin, would Harry even want to acknowledge he had been his son in a few moments? Would their relationship, that had strengthened so much over the years, be over for something that had happened when he was ignorant?

Harry said nothing to that, other than to stare, utterly baffled; his dad always had something to say, especially if it was worth speaking about. To see him like this was horrible. What could he have to say that was getting him so tongue-tied? "We aren't moving away, are we?" Harry rasped out, aghast, his eyes wide as each scenario began to play out in his head.

Severus strengthened his resolve, seeing that he was panicking his son beyond all measures. "Have you ever wondered why the house-elves call me Severus, yet everyone else has called me Septimus?" he asked, thinking perhaps that this was the best way to begin this conversation, and glean what Harry's understanding of the situation was.

"Sometimes," Harry admitted, shrugging his shoulders.

Severus nodded, not truly surprised. Harry had grown up with it; it was normal to him in some ways, so why would he truly think about it all that much? It wasn't what he would have wanted, but the House-elves knew who he truly was. They were bonded to him, so it was natural for them to wish to use his real name... just as natural for him not to want to forget who he truly was. As much as he loved this place, he wasn't truly Septimus Regis, although he wished to be very deeply. If there was anything real about this, it was his love for Harry, and the fact that Harry was his son in blood just as much as he was Lily and James'.

"That's because Septimus isn't my real name; my real name, as you probably already guessed a long time ago, is Severus, Severus Snape." The Potions Master continued, "And I am not from this time, Harry; I am a time-traveller."

"This time? But time-travel is only possible by a few hours…isn't it? That's what all the books say!" Harry asked, bewildered.

"Years ago I would have agreed with you," Severus answered, nodding his head in affirmation. "But there is a ritual that the Goblins came up with, and perfected over the years."

"But Goblins can't tolerate most wizards… so why would they help you?" Harry then asked.

Severus' lips twitched. That was his clever boy, and he read absolutely anything he could get his hands on. He had encouraged it as much as possible, letting Harry know he was proud of his hard work. Honestly, he reminded him so much of Lily. It no longer hurt to think of her; over the years her letter had been the nourishment his soul had needed to heal, as well as raising Harry. "That's a very good question, one that I didn't ask too much at the time. I think part of it was that they desperately wanted to see if it worked, but wouldn't have risked one of their own. Yet when I went back, they were very helpful, mostly to prevent the timeline from screwing up."

"Why did you go back in time? Was I different before?" Harry asked, eager for more information.

Severus' heart almost broke at the sight of his son so eager for information that could completely destroy him. How could he tell Harry he had been abandoned by everyone? That he had been a fucking arsehole, bitter and angry just because of who his father had been?

"Let me tell you a little bit about the past," Severus said softly, noticing the House-elf leaving out of the corner of his eye. "Back in Britain there was a nasty war breaking out; one wizard had decided that all non-magical or Muggle-born…"

"Muggle-Born?" Harry asked, confused by the unfamiliar term.

"Someone magical born of non-magical parents," Severus told him. There was no discrimination here; he hadn't heard the words Muggle-Born since coming here. "That is what they are referred to as over there. As I was saying, a wizard named Tom Riddle had decided that they had no place in the magical world and that non-magical people were beneath him. He is not known by that name; in fact only a few people are aware of his true origins. He goes by a name he fashioned for himself: Lord Voldemort."

"Flight of death?" Harry muttered in puzzlement as he translated the name.

"Very apt description of him; ironically enough, 'I am Lord Voldemort' is an anagram of his real name. His power grew so great that people began to fear him, and his name. Thus the press began to call him You-Know-Who, and everyone began to use it. As his hold grew, he began to attract more followers to himself. There was a time when he was extremely charismatic, persuasive, and very handsome."

"Was this during your time, before he came back?" Harry asked in horror. "How do you look so young?" His dad didn't even look thirty.

"He began to gather followers before he left school, fifty years ago nearly. This was before my time, and he travelled all over the world, learning foreign magic and rituals before returning to Britain. His presence wasn't truly felt until your mother, father, and I were in our early years at Hogwarts," Severus stated calmly. Now that he was telling the tale, he found he couldn't stop.

"What kind of rituals?" Harry enquired curiously.

"Inquisitive as ever," Severus replied in a thoughtful tone. "Ones that would help him overcome death, but regretfully there is no way to prevent yourself from dying, even with a Philosopher's Stone; if you are hit with the correct curse at the right time, there is nothing that can prevent death from taking you."

"But he doesn't have one, does he? The only one in existence belongs to Nicolas Flamel... well, known one anyway; our teacher said she'd love to see it and examine it," Harry revealed, grinning as he remembered the wistful tone in which she had spoken of it.

"No; no, he doesn't have one," Severus answered, "Although I think he would take it if the opportunity arose."

"Did you stop him, dad?" Harry wanted to know. "You said he goes by the name, not that he went by it…" he trailed off thoughtfully.

"Indeed," Severus said proudly, his black eyes glinting in a way that Harry just loved. "You are correct, he did not die, and no, I did not stop him." After a moment of building up his courage he replied, "It was you."

"It was me that what?" Harry asked blankly; he refused to believe what his dad had just said; surely he'd gotten the wrong end of the stick?

"Yes, Harry, you heard correctly: it was you. Back to the story; while at Hogwarts I became friends with wizards that your mother didn't like. She made that abundantly clear; there would have come a time when she would have asked me to choose if the incident during our fifth year... that is to say, we were fifteen," Severus explained. "During a rather humiliating experience I called your mother a rather harsh name for Muggle-Borns… and she in turn said something to me that was also rather harsh. In a moment of anger our friendship was destroyed; it didn't help that Lily, your mother, was under pressure not to associate with someone from a different house from her, especially a Slytherin."

"Being in a different house means you can't be friends with someone?" Harry asked sceptically; he didn't like the sound of Hogwarts at all. Headmaster Adison always said you should befriend people from all walks of life, that by doing that you'd learn something new and be able to understand people. In fact, Britain didn't sound nice at all; there must be a reason why this Tom Riddle believed what he did.

"At Hogwarts, yes," Severus revealed honestly; it was rare to see anyone associate with anyone outside their house, especially between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Admittedly there were the occasions when siblings were placed in different houses, causing a lapse in the complete isolation of houses. Those were usually Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, or Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff and Gryffindor.

"What happened?" Harry asked; his dad had never told him this, not in all the stories he'd told. He had always made Hogwarts sound magical, not like this; bullying was strictly forbidden at his school. If you were caught bullying, you'd get detention for weeks at a time, and if it got bad and continued, they would make you stay inside... or if it was really bad you would be suspended. They said it was because it was so dangerous, especially with magic.

Knowing what his son was talking about Severus continued, "Your mum and I parted ways; she married your dad and had you. I, on the other hand, gained my Mastery in Potions and did a very bad thing."

"Bad thing? Is that why we came here?" Harry enquired.

"No, not really," Severus answered before going on to explain, "I began to be drawn in by the Dark Arts, became enthralled with them; I naively agreed with some of Voldemort's goals. You see, my dad wasn't a kind man, Harry; he was abusive to both my mother and me. I grew up hating non-magical people. I joined Voldemort and became a Death Eater."

"But you aren't anymore, isn't that right, dad?" Harry said firmly. He knew it was true; his dad spoke often and at length with his friends' parents, and two of them were non-magical.

"That's correct," Severus replied. "I realized how idiotic I was being, and my anger was directed at those it should have been." Well, mostly; it was only when he had taken Harry and realized he had a child that was relying on him and he couldn't keep being so bitter and angry that truly enabled him to let go of all his past hatred. Of course, Harry didn't realize what being a Death Eater was; it was just a name to him right now.

Harry nodded his head in understanding. "I don't understand what it has to do with me, dad!" he exclaimed after a few seconds.

"We're getting there," Severus chided softly, his lips twitching; so impatient. "I was a loyal Death Eater for a few years, but, like many others, we realized we had gotten in too deep; we hadn't realized what we were getting into ― who we were dealing with. You see, Harry, you don't just hand in your resignation; your service to him is for life. It wasn't until your mum and your lives were threatened that I realized what I needed to do," Severus told him. Seeing the confused look on Harry's face, he couldn't blame him; this was so much to take in and it wasn't over yet. "You see, I had overheard the beginning of a prophecy along with another Death Eater; the words were parroted back to Voldemort, and he immediately began to plan the deaths of yet-unborn children."

Harry's jaw dropped, a sick look appearing on his face.

"I went to the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore, and begged him to keep your mother safe when Lord Voldemort announced he was going after your family. Dumbledore gave me an ultimatum: either I would spy on Voldemort, or he would send me to Azkaban Prison."

"Isn't that the one with Dementors?" Harry whispered, appalled; they said in the book it was the most horrifying prison ever. That people went mad, that there was no hope for rehabilitating them. They said that they were so unhinged that most prisoners ended up back inside.

Severus raised an impressed eyebrow despite the dire conversation; perhaps he should have kept a closer eye on his son's reading habits. It couldn't be in any of the books Harry had, since the majority of them he had actually read himself. Perhaps he'd learned it at school; although why they would be discussing prisons he had absolutely no idea. "It is."

"Is that why you came back? To stay safe?" Harry then enquired. "If you came back, did that mean mum could have been saved?" He didn't think so; he knew his dad loved his mum, he could see it.

"No, son, I couldn't. The goblins weren't sure how far back the ritual would take me, it could have taken me fifty years into the past for all they knew. Unfortunately it wasn't to be, it was only seven years in total that I was able to go back. Believe me; if I could have… I would have saved them," Severus told him, squeezing his shoulder; the emotion thick in his voice showed the truthfulness of his statement. "I became Dumbledore's spy, and your parents went into hiding soon afterwards. They went under the Fidelius charm," Severus told him.

"So that's why you didn't want to talk about it," Harry whispered, guessing correctly what had happened without needing to be told. He'd asked his dad seven months ago about that charm... needing help with his homework. Usually his dad would tell him vocally, but instead he'd given him a book and gone to his potions lab. That hadn't been like his dad, but he hadn't thought much of it at the time. "You were a spy?" He couldn't help but be awed; his dad was like James Bond!

"It did bring the past flashing back," Severus admitted, removing his hand from his son's shoulder; would it be welcomed when he heard everything? "Then on Halloween our world came crashing down around us." Yes, both of them; Harry had lost his family, and he had lost the only thing he had given a shit about back then. Harry must already be going numb with the influx of information… he hadn't reacted to the knowledge that his parents had been viciously betrayed by someone who trusted them with their lives.

Harry's eyes widened again, and he swallowed thickly; his dad had never told him how his parents had died, just that they would have given anything to raise him... that they'd loved him more than anything else in the world. Seeing his dad's pain, he had stopped asking.

"Your parents were betrayed; they trusted the wrong man with their lives. The Dark Lord Voldemort went to your home at Godric's Hollow," Severus told him weakly; he had never wanted to tell him. Stupidly he had just wished they could remain secluded, that Harry would remain a child forever. How could he still be a child after hearing all this? "Your father tried his hardest to fight Voldemort, but he didn't stand a chance." The image of James Potter flashed through his mind, dead to the world. "Don't get me wrong, your dad was very capable; he was an Auror after all, and that is the hardest job to acquire in the Britain." Within the Ministry of Magic, at least.

"How?" Harry asked.

"He went painlessly, Harry," Severus said honestly. "The killing curse."

Harry swallowed thickly, nodding and holding back tears. Somehow it didn't comfort him at all.

"Your mother was found up the stairs, next to your cot. Obviously nobody knows exactly what happened, but your mother must have cast some powerful sacrificial magic, because blood wards were created out of it," Severus told him. "Dumbledore sent Hagrid, the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts, to retrieve you from the ruins of Godric's Hollow. He was ordered to take you to the only family you had left."

Harry blinked, only family he had left? He was too distracted by that to get emotional over knowing what happened to his mum, "I didn't go straight to you, did I?" The images from his nightmares flashed back to haunt him. But they were hazy at best; he shook off those thoughts, refusing to dwell on them.

"No; no, Harry, you didn't," Severus sighed softly in defeat. "Dumbledore used your mother's sacrifice to activate the blood wards, to keep you safe from the remaining Death Eaters. He forgot that sometimes those that should care, family, just don't.

"Your godfather, Sirius Black, was arrested for their murder; everyone assumed he was the Secret Keeper," Severus continued bitterly. "Then the celebrations started. They hailed you a hero, dubbing you with the title of the Boy-Who-Lived." Forgetting the deaths that it had cost them to live their insipid cowardly lives.

"Assumed? That's the bad thing everyone thought he did?" Harry stated, remembering that from the bedtime stories his dad used to tell him.

"Yes," Severus confirmed. "But it wasn't as simple as that. In his fury, Sirius Black tracked down the real traitor, who was more cunning than anyone could have anticipated. He began to goad your godfather, shouting at the top of his lungs, asking why he had betrayed them, and then the traitor used a blasting curse, in the process killing twelve non-magical people before cutting his own finger off and turning into an Animagus form and fleeing down the sewers. Black was arrested for their murders and your parents' before being carted off to Azkaban without a trial." When everything calmed down, when they let their guard down, the Death Eaters had gone after the Longbottoms and cursed them into insanity. Yes, James Potter's death had been painless; what they'd done to Frank and Alice…was beyond comprehension.

"Why didn't you make sure they knew who it really was?" Harry asked perturbed.

"I was warned against changing time too much; if I did, I could potentially be causing a rift in time," Severus said softly. "Knowing that the past couldn't be changed too much, your godfather still said he would take the punishment all over again, but if it's any consolation, I did what I could for him, Harry." Despite the fact he didn't like him... and probably never would.

"I know you would, dad," Harry told him. "Who was it?"

"Peter Pettigrew; he befriended your father at the same time as your godfather and another, Remus Lupin. You will like him, he is very much like you; he loves to read," Severus told him wryly.

"What happened to him? Is he still alive?" Harry's green eyes were filled with fire and anger, probably for the second time in his life.

"I have no idea, the probability of him being alive is extremely likely. I came back before we could find out," Severus revealed.

"We?" Harry was curious now.

"Everything was quiet for the next ten years until the night you were due at Hogwarts… your name was called out, but nobody stepped forward." Severus managed to get that out without choking on his own words. He couldn't look at Harry's green eyes, he just couldn't. "As soon as the sorting was over, Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall― who is the Transfiguration teacher, head of Gryffindor House, and Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, and myself went to Privet Drive to find out why you didn't get on the train to Hogwarts."

Harry reared back as if he'd been struck, moving away from Severus; he didn't want to know. Regardless, he stared at his dad, barely able to conceal his accusation and betrayal. The only thing keeping him sitting there was the hope that he was wrong. Why wouldn't his dad raise him? It made no sense; he just wanted this to be a nightmare he would wake up from. He shook his head blindly, his heart pounding loudly; he didn't want to hear this.

"Your aunt and uncle, the Dursleys, they no longer lived there, or that was what we were told by the people living there. Nobody was willing to speak to us regarding them; the only other person who could have told us was also absent, a Squib by the name of Arabella Figg, and so Dumbledore demanded I find out while he and Minerva travelled back to Hogwarts to see if they could find an address for you," Severus told him, never once able to meet his eyes; he didn't want to see the betrayal written in those beautiful eyes that had only ever looked at him with love.

"Don't!" Harry didn't want to hear this but he was stuck on the spot, unable to move.

"I found the information and went back to Hogwarts with it," Severus continued speaking, despite the fact he didn't want to; Harry had to know everything. "It was I who agreed to prepare you for a magical burial, but I found something I did not expect…"

"What do you mean?" Harry breathed out, hope blooming renewed that somehow he hadn't been abandoned.

"I could feel my own magic… dark magic... surrounding you, but only when the goblins began discussing it did I realise what it was… a Golem imbued with your blood and hair that I had created… my other self had already taken you from the Dursleys and left it in your place…what I was seeing was evidence of a time paradox," Severus explained. "Do not try to understand it; I've known for nearly seven years and I still don't truly get it."

Swallowing the bile back, Harry jumped to his feet and bolted towards his bedroom, his head spinning; he couldn't even begin to process everything he'd learned. Throwing himself on his bed, the tears began to pour relentlessly down his face. He grabbed one of the teddies he didn't use anymore, but had kept since he'd had it forever, and hugged it close, needing some form of comfort.

Severus watched Harry's retreat unsurprised, his black eyes tormented. Did he give Harry space? Or did he force him to face it? In the end he couldn't take it; standing up after a few minutes of silence, he began to walk towards Harry's bedroom, unsure of the reception he'd receive. His heart jerked painfully when he heard his son's crying; it always made him feel like a failure. Exhaling shakily, he moved over to the bed and began to stroke the back of the boy's head, saying nothing... knowing there was nothing he could say to make it better.

Feeling his dad so close, Harry couldn't help it; he leapt towards him, hugging him around the middle, desperate for comfort. He continued to cry; he couldn't stop it, not even when it was difficult to breathe because of it. Then his dad began speaking, and he forgot everything, even crying as he listened.

"I love you, son. I always have and always will; nothing will change that. I regret a lot in my life…but there is one thing I am most proud of, one thing I know I did right... and that's you," Severus confessed as a single tear made its way down his face. He had sworn never to let anything hurt Harry, yet he had caused him the biggest hurt of all. "I thought coming back to fix things was my second chance… but it wasn't: you were. You helped me start living; before you, I just existed. There is no parent prouder of his son than I am of you."

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><p>Edited by Jake and Jordre Thank you guys!<p> 


	38. Chapter 38

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 38**

**More Information**

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><p>After a few days of silence Severus took Harry to a secluded, rocky part of the beach close to their home; Luna as always came with them. He wasn't an outdoors person, but staying cooped up in a silent house was driving him insane. He was hoping that a change of scenery would help Harry open up about everything he had heard. He would have preferred anger, shouting... anything really, rather than this void that Harry had sunk into. He'd spent a lot of time outside with the other wolves, probably trying to process everything he'd been told.<p>

"Talk to me, Harry; tell me how you feel," Severus asked his son, staring at him from where he sat perched on a rock. Harry was sitting in the sand, just a few meters from him, his feet being lapped by waves that danced in every so often. Luna was lunging at the water, jumping in and enjoying the coolness of it. Severus was praying he could somehow get his son to talk; he was nothing if not determined, though, so he would do it. He didn't care how long it took; he wouldn't lose him, not to this.

"You always made Hogwarts sound… fascinating," Harry said, finally talking. "Why?"

"Waiting to attend… I was extremely excited, as was your mum. Lily couldn't wait to learn magic; I, on the other hand, couldn't wait to get away from Spinners End," Severus explained quietly. He understood what Harry was asking without his outright saying anything. "Harry, I wasn't about to colour your opinion of anything, especially not Hogwarts. Just because my experience wasn't particularly happy… well, it wasn't that way for everyone. I can't say I hated school; I enjoyed learning very much, and my time with your mother was… irreplaceable."

"You were bullied," Harry said, or rather stated. He knew it was true; it would be the only real reason someone hated school. Sure, people would grumble about the workload and having to do it, but that wouldn't leave its mark this long after leaving school... at least he didn't think so.

"As were a lot of others," Severus pointed out, not wishing to talk about that part of his life, least of all with Harry. He couldn't tell the child his father had been one of his main tormentors. He had forgiven Potter a long time ago, right after he'd realized how deeply his feelings for Harry ran; thanks to James Potter, he had a chance to experience fatherhood, and it was a love greater than any other he'd experienced.

"It was my father, wasn't it?" Harry asked, turning to face his dad with a serious look on his face. It was why his dad didn't have many stories about him, despite the fact they'd all gone to the same school for seven years. He knew everyone in his year, despite the fact that half took different classes than he.

"Harry, it was a long time ago, quite literally for me. He adored you, and that is all that should matter," Severus told him, sternness and determination written across his face. It was at that moment Severus realized he had truly changed―years ago he would have laid bare everything James Potter had done to him, let Harry see his father wasn't exactly the good man everyone liked to think he was.

Harry nodded thoughtfully; standing up, he walked over and sat next to his dad on the massive rock that looked surprisingly clean for where it was. "What about Remus?" was asked after a few moments of silence, both of them staring out at the waves, its peacefulness disturbed only by Harry and Severus' worry and fears.

"What would you like to know?" Severus enquired, relaxing slightly. It seemed Harry had processed everything and was finally branching out in his questions ― there was hope after all.

"Was he my father's friend?" Harry questioned.

"Yes; he later became your mother's friend as well," Severus explained, his eyes drifting to Luna, who was jumping out of the water and shaking herself off, getting both of them wet before she lay down in the sand. She trusted them both implicitly, and knew they'd never hurt one another.

"Did he end up in Azkaban too?" Harry whispered sadly. He couldn't imagine living in that prison; the book just described the most awful existence, and with what the Dementors did to the inmates, how could someone come out of there sane? Nobody deserved to be in a place like that ― especially not people who were innocent.

"No, no he did not," Severus admitted; he didn't need to be a genius to see where this was going.

"What happened to him, then? Did they fall out too?" Harry then asked, bewildered.

"Actually, they were distant with Remus. It was a very difficult time; you didn't know who to trust. Families were being betrayed and turning on each other, accusing anyone that was acting different of being on the dark side. The other side was getting information that shouldn't have been possible to obtain… unless there was a spy in their midst. Which there was. I can't say what your father and godfather were thinking, but the bonds of friendship among the four of them was tested to the limit and found lacking; they began to distance themselves from Remus."

"Why him?" Harry enquired, digging further as he gazed at his dad, seeking answers... knowing something was being kept back.

Severus smirked. He had raised one smart boy, one that didn't give up when he wanted something. He was tenacious, smart, hard-working, and loyal; independent, with very good friends, which meant he was a very good judge of character. He could remember the time when he feared he wouldn't be able to raise Harry properly. "Because the werewolves were joining the Dark Lord Voldemort; he promised them that he would get rid of the laws that prevent them from working and having families, and that consider them dangerous creatures."

"Are there?" Harry muttered, frowning. Maybe he should take some law library books out and read them, but he didn't understand why. "They aren't considered dangerous creatures; we learned all about them in Defence against the Dark Arts; werewolves weren't on the list."

"Not here they aren't; the British magical world is rather… behind the times with their beliefs." Severus found it difficult to articulate that sentence for Harry. "Behind in their beliefs" was admittedly too good a sentiment for them, a few years into living in St. Lucia in the Caribbean… it was a slice of paradise, small but peaceful, with their own laws far more fair and just than Britain would ever be.

"Just beliefs?" Harry asked sceptically. He was only ten years old, nearly eleven, but even he didn't believe what his dad said. He'd never been one for underestimating or understating.

"Very well, about a lot of things," Severus conceded; he couldn't even pull the wool over his own son's eyes. Had he gone soft, or did Harry just know him well enough to be able to tell when he was being disingenuous? Perhaps it was a bit of both, he thought to himself wryly.

"So they all fell out… did they ever apologize and decide to be friends again?" Harry wondered.

"I do not think there were accusations ever thrown around; they merely became distant. They didn't include him in activities or invite him around any longer," Severus told him thoughtfully, trying to remember what Black and Lupin had said in the short time he'd seen them after the funeral before coming back in time. "They cut him off, and it hurt him deeply; he considered you his cub."

"Like Luna and the others?" Harry asked arching an eyebrow, "Isn't that an animal thing?"

"All right; his wolf considered you his cub," Severus wryly corrected himself. "But the man and the wolf are very much the same…"

"I know, dad," Harry added quickly, "He always has the same sense of smell and strength as his wolf."

"Which he refers to as Moony, by the way," Severus said, successfully managing not to grimace.

"It's sort of ironic, isn't it? I mean being a werewolf and called Remus Lupin, it's as if it was meant to be," Harry commented. "Why didn't he come to see me? Was it because he was angry with my father?"

"That, I am afraid, is something you will have to ask him, Harry," Severus confessed tiredly, "I am not privy to his thoughts or actions; in fact, it wasn't until… the funeral that I saw him again after the Order disbanded."

"Order?" Harry echoed.

Severus turned to face Harry, startled, only to realize he hadn't mentioned the Order of the Phoenix to Harry during his chat. "The Order of the Phoenix was a secret organization that Albus Dumbledore started during the first war with the Dark Lord Voldemort. He picked good fighters, and they attempted to stop Voldemort's plans and fight him."

"A vigilante group?" Harry stated, amused. "Let me guess: my mum and father were part of it?"

"They were, as was I," Severus replied, bemused. "There were two spies in the organization: myself and Peter Pettigrew."

"Oh," Harry uttered, not sure what else he could say.

Silence once again began to descend upon them, but it wasn't as strained as it had previously been. Severus stared out at the water, wondering what he could do to make things better. He didn't like the silence that was spanning between them; he had grown attached to his inquisitive imp, who questioned everything until he was blue in the face. He wanted things to go back to normal, but he was a realistic man and knew such an occurrence wasn't possible. Harry was no longer the innocent little boy with the simple life, but he was determined that Harry's life wouldn't be messed up because of the past. He knew the coming months would be the most difficult, but like Harry he was determined, and he would see it through.

"Are we leaving?" Harry asked. He didn't want to leave his school, his friends… but his dad meant more to him than anything else; he was all he had. It was obvious his dad felt the same; he had so wanted to reply when his dad spoke, but he'd been so shocked by everything he'd just learned ― choked up to the max and unable to say a damn thing. He wasn't sure what he could have said, to be honest.

"_I love you, son. I always have and always will; nothing will change that. I regret a lot in my life… but there is one thing I am most proud of, one thing I know I did right... and that's you. I thought coming back to fix things was my second chance… but it wasn't: you were. You helped me start living; before you, I just existed. There is no parent prouder of his son than I am of you."_

No, he would follow his dad wherever it took him. It didn't stop him from wanting to know, though. The uncertainty was grating on his nerves; he wasn't used to that emotion ― at least not that he could remember.

"I didn't plan anything beyond time's reinserting itself, Harry. I went with the flow and inevitably forgot this wasn't permanent until you began to grow up. I've been trying to tell you for the past six months. I rationalised to myself that you should get to do your exams first without this… information being lumbered at you. Unfortunately, the last day of class… took away any excuses I may have come up with. I couldn't thrust this information on you, then take you to Great Britain," Severus confessed.

"DAD!" Harry couldn't help but whine, he hated when his dad danced around a subject. Then he realized the only times he'd seen that was when his dad didn't know the answer or he wasn't a hundred percent sure either. "You don't know, do you? You want to stay!" That was a relief; hopefully he could talk his dad into staying.

"I do," Severus told him, not only because this was the best school for Harry, who came first when he thought about anything. The other reasons were because he was happy here; he had respect from the academic community, from his neighbours, and people he actually considered friends. Why would anyone in his right mind want to go back to suspicion, scorn, and distrust? Added to that was the unknown aspect of Dumbledore and what he could potentially do. The fact he'd wanted to break Petunia out of prison just to get Harry back under the blood wards ― regardless of what she'd done ― turned his stomach. No, Dumbledore was… a threat, one he didn't want near Harry with a ten-foot barge pole. If he knew all his motives and each potential decision he would make, then he might have considered it, but as well as he thought he knew Dumbledore ― it wasn't enough.

"Why are we going there, anyway?" Harry asked petulantly. Hogwarts sounded horrible; the laws sounded disgustingly archaic, and they treated people like animals. Yes, he sounded like his dad, but it was inevitable, really, that he would pick up on his dad's vocabulary and parrot his words. His friends got a laugh out of it, but they ended up learning things too.

"To let the people who care about you very deeply know that you are alive and well," Severus told him firmly.

"If they cared, they would have come to see me," Harry denied adamantly.

"Look at it this way, if they had, this would not have happened. You wouldn't have Luna, your friends, or this school, and you definitely wouldn't have an education other than basic math, English, and science... if you were lucky," Severus replied thoughtfully. He definitely didn't want to think about what he would be like; the kicker was, he already knew.

"And you!" Harry exclaimed, frowning at his dad. Did he think he didn't want him anymore? The niggling thought that perhaps his dad was insecure sometimes like him made him feel decidedly wrong-footed. His dad was strong, smart, and capable; he always helped make him better.

"Is that the case?" Severus enquired; the last few days would indicate otherwise.

"Dad, I might get mad at you… but I always love you," Harry explained. "Just like my friends get with their dads... only they're more cheeky," he added impishly.

"Is that so?" Severus said dryly, shaking his head, trying to clear it. These conversations didn't seem to stay in a straight line; they went all over the place, and you ended up forgetting the original question. Which he had; even going over the questions was giving him a headache, so he promptly stopped.

"Dad?" Harry asked after a few seconds.

"Yes?" Severus replied immediately, once again facing his son, as he sensed that this wasn't going to be an easy question.

"Were my mum and father targeted because they were in the vigilante group? If so, why betray them only when they went under the Fidelius Charm? Why wait so long?… the spy must have been at it for a while to split their friendship, right? Wouldn't it have been easier before, unless they'd just joined?" Harry wondered, scratching his head lightly as he thought about it.

"No," Severus admitted, pursing his lips; it figured that Harry would catch onto that. "Do you remember me telling you about the Prophecy and how the Dark Lord Voldemort began hunting down unborn children?" At Harry's nod, he continued, "He went after children born as the seventh month died, as described in the prophecy. You were the only one born then, although there was another quite close. But regardless, the Dark Lord Voldemort decided to go after you. He was already after your parents for being Order members and defying him three times, but you were the icing on the cake, and he redoubled his efforts to get your family."

"What does the prophecy say?" Harry asked, perturbed.

"Only half is known; the rest only Albus Dumbledore knows," Severus told him, feeling oddly calm. "Other than where the rest of it is stored, of course, in the Ministry of Magic." Harry nodded that he understood, so Severus continued and recited, "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches, born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies; he will have the power the Dark Lord knows not. This is all that is known by the other side; however, should you wish to hear it all, a trip could be arranged to get the sphere. It was I and another Death Eater who overheard it and recited it back to the Dark Lord." There, now Harry knew.

"I don't want to stay there, dad," Harry told him quietly, "As much as I would love to go to the same school you all did…I like it here."

Severus sighed and wrapped his arms around his son, "I know," he admitted. "I know." Surprise thrummed through him, he'd just told Harry about it, yet he wasn't even blinking. He didn't feel as guilty about it; the letter had soothed his ravaged soul and helped him forgive himself and move on.

"So can we stay?" Harry asked.

"If that is what you want, then yes, we will stay," Severus told him honestly; he couldn't deny Harry. "To go to Hogwarts would be detrimental to your education. Not only do they not have a third of the subjects you are taking, or can take, you would start at the beginning all over again. They learn at the age of eleven what you learned at five years of age."

Harry gaped, "You're kidding!"

"No, I am not." Severus gave Harry a droll look; when did he ever kid?

"When are we going back?" Harry asked in resignation.

"Still a long while yet. September, which gives you enough time to finish your summer homework, see your friends, and cancel the last four of your surfing lessons," Severus told him.

"So… am I called Harrison Snape? Harry Snape? I think I prefer Regis," Harry's eyes were comically wide. He knew he was adopted, obviously, and that he had his dad's DNA in him, due to the potion he'd created. It's why he looked like all three of his parents, his mum, father, and of course his dad. He saw more of his dad in him though; he didn't even need his Metamorphamagus abilities for that.

Severus chuckled, "Actually, your father's name was James Potter; your birth name is Harry James Potter." It felt odd thinking of him with that name even for a moment.

"So not Harrison?" Harry said, feeling strangely disappointed by that.

"When I adopted you, I decided on Harrison, mostly on paper, since I would never disregard your mum's wishes, and she obviously wanted you to be called Harry. It's also a more regal name, and it suited you," Severus replied.

"Luna's coming, right?" Harry then asked, "What about Mishi?"

"Luna may come," Severus conceded, but a snake? "Mishi may also come if you wish, but I think he might be better off staying at Talin's while we are away, the weather might be too much for him. Snakes need warmth." Especially snakes from this side of the world; he could only imagine the shock that would go through him at the abrupt weather change.

"All right," Harry agreed with pause.

"Are you feeling better now?" Severus then asked, knowing it to be true.

"Yes," Harry answered. "But I really wasn't mad at you, dad; you were just trying to protect me, I know that. I just felt hurt that you hadn't told me, and it was a lot of information!"

"It was," Severus solemnly agreed.

"Dad?" Harry asked.

"Yes?" Severus' tone was slightly exasperated.

"I love you too," Harry told him, his tone filled with love.

"I know," Severus replied his tone also gentling down, no exasperation to be heard.

The return to England was swiftly looming on them; neither were looking forward to it, to say the least.

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><p>Edited Thank you Jake and Jordre for all your hard work :)<p> 


	39. Chapter 39

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 39**

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><p>Severus stood watching his son's surfing lesson. Weeks had gone by since their conversation, and Harry had gone back to being a normal, inquisitive young boy. He had done his summer homework, and as always came to him if there was something he didn't understand, with the exception of Alchemy. His son was struggling with that, but so determined to see it through. It had prompted his decision to buy a few books of his own on the subject. Harry had come with him and bought five books with his allowance, although he'd had to dig into his savings as well to afford them all, despite the fact that Severus had told him he didn't have to. He was all too happy to pay for anything Harry wanted to further his education, but Harry was determined as always, so Severus had simply let it go. If Harry wanted anything desperately enough, he would ask for an advance on his allowance, although he was pretty sure Harry still had money in the money box that he had carefully crafted at school.<p>

He turned to look at the parents who were shouting encouragements very vocally, and his lip curled; it was nauseating, really. Now that wasn't going to help the children; it would just distract them. Honestly, didn't anyone have any common sense? He often saw Harry looking at him during various tournaments, and he wondered if Harry wanted him to be more like the other parents, if he was still looking for reassurances even after all these years. But he never would be like the other parents; he hadn't changed that much. No, Harry knew how proud he was of him, no matter whether he came in first, second, or last ― to him, participation was all that was necessary to win; backing out was the failure. You failed if you didn't try.

"Hello, Septimus; how is Harry doing?" Talin asked, watching as the wizard twitched slightly before turning to face him. He knew Severus had been planning on telling Harry about, well, everything. It was odd thinking of him as Severus but addressing him as Septimus, now that he knew the truth. For years he had known him as Septimus; you would think it would be more difficult, but for some strange reason it wasn't.

"I told him," Severus replied, turning back to watch the lesson.

"Oh, how did it go?" Talin enquired; he knew that Severus had been trying to work up the courage to ask him. He had been on holiday for two weeks with his kids; after everything that had happened, they'd needed alone-time with him, to reconnect them as a family. There was a huge hole in their hearts where their mother had been, but surprisingly his kids were doing well despite everything that had gone down. It helped that they'd been able to say goodbye, and that his wife hadn't been violently ripped from them as sometimes happened to other people.

"A few rocky moments as he tried to come to terms with everything. It can't have been easy ― he's a teenager― but he managed it," Severus said. "I do not think I would have, should our roles have been reversed."

"Children are very resilient," Talin stated confidently. He'd been thinking that a lot lately, mostly when observing his own children and how they were coping with their mother's death. His two eldest were coping more easily; Ale missed her a lot and asked a lot of questions.

"When I first held him, I was terrified I would do more harm than good," Severus confessed, sitting down on the stone wall that he'd been leaning against for the past forty minutes. "I swore I would do my best; of course, I certainly never imagined this outcome. I couldn't be more proud of him if I tried."

"Children tend to do that to you," Talin agreed, "It's terrifying when you don't know what the hell you're doing."

Severus smirked wryly, nodding that he agreed wholeheartedly, watching as Harry manoeuvred around on his board, making short work of the waves, and hearing his instructor praise him for it.

"Will you be returning?" Talin enquired with a sad lilt to his voice. He'd been assuming that when time corrected itself, they wouldn't return.

"In a few days," Severus replied, glancing at the wizard; he had heard something peculiar in his voice.

Talin felt his entire body relax, almost bowing over in relief. Thank Merlin for that. He had grown very attached to both Harrison and Septimus/Severus during the course of the years. He considered himself a very good friend of the man now. In the beginning it was more of a strained acquaintanceship, as though Severus didn't know how to make friends, but they had come a long way since then. "This might seem out of line, but may I accompany you?" Talin requested. Since he'd uncovered just how backwards it was in Magical Britain, he wanted to know just why it was the way it was. What made them think that Hogwarts was so special; why weren't they doing anything to better themselves?

"Why?" Severus arched a curious eyebrow, sensing it was more than just wanting to see England.

"I have a few reasons, but the main one is to accompany you. I have a funny feeling this is going to be extremely difficult for you," Talin explained solemnly. "You've told me about your past and those that made it less than pleasant; I just want to make sure there is someone on your side." A protective glint had come into his eyes. He wanted to be there as a friend; it was what any friend would do. He most certainly did consider Severus a friend.

"I can take care of myself; despite what you might see, I am not in my late twenties," Severus confessed, but it felt good that his friends wanted to be there for him.

"Believe me, I know; I would certainly hate to be against you, Septimus," Talin replied immediately. "If you do not wish for company, then that's fine; I just thought I would offer."

"Thank you," Severus answered grimly, nodding. "Truth be told, I think I will be glad for the company. It is going to be difficult, even more so when we return here. We will be leaving very early tomorrow morning; should you still wish to come, we can leave from your place…?"

"I do, and very well," Talin nodded his agreement. Difficult… he wondered if Severus meant his son? "Harrison?" Talin gestured towards the young lad.

"No; in fact Harry has begged me to stay here. The truth is, I would have let him choose, and he has; he knows what Britain is like. His academic mind is still trying to understand why both places are so different." Severus chuckled wryly. "I've been asked dozens of questions about Hogwarts and the lack of education ever since; I cannot answer them because I do not know."

"Yes; I would like answers as well," Talin confessed. "Then there is this Dumbledore; is he a threat to your return?" As he asked it, he knew the answer. Severus had told him everything about the wizard, including the fact he had been about to intervene in an order from the Muggle government, Her Majesty's orders, by using magic to get Petunia Dursley out of prison where she was serving time for murder. If the Muggle government found out such a travesty was occurring, the outcry would be immense.

"He's a threat to everything that moves, whether we know it or not," Severus stated baldly; he'd been avoiding even thinking about the old fool and the possible magnitude of the repercussions of returning even for a moment. "Every waking moment he spends plotting and planning; I don't think he even realizes he's doing it anymore. He has this unnerving twinkle in his blue eyes, examining you for weaknesses, all the while hiding under a façade of geniality." It had been years since he had thought of Dumbledore, he absently realized.

"It's an outrage that nothing has been done to stop him," Talin proclaimed, angry at the British Ministry for allowing one man so much power, or even the illusion of it ― that was when a man was most dangerous.

"That it may be, but most are just too relieved that he helped them, not once but twice, to ever truly see the man for what he really is. There was a time when even I was taken in, although I had no idea of the extent he'd go to get his way ― until it all began to unravel," Severus admitted in disgust. "In fact, I haven't seen him since we realized the truth. The worst of it is, he kept something from me that could have changed everything."

"Which is?" Talin enquired.

"The letter from Lily. I know it might not seem like much but…" Severus trailed off, not able to articulate just how much that letter had eased the agony in his heart.

"Septimus, that letter was everything Lily wanted to say to you when she was alive, her last dear departing words; of course it changed you. Would have changed you; there would have been no need to come here should her last will and testament have been read," Talin muttered quietly, as people got too close; they couldn't take the risk of anyone's overhearing them. "It might not have come to pass, but perhaps we should give thanks that it happened this way. You've been able to raise Harrison in a positive, safe environment, without fear of manipulation. Who is to say that Dumbledore would have let you keep Harry? If he has as much power as you say—and I am not denying that he doesn't," he added, seeing the look on Severus' face. "I just mean that he could have circumvented it."

"There is no denying he would have," Severus conceded. He'd hid the will for a reason; if that had failed, there was little doubt Harry would have still ended up at the Dursleys'. "What has brought you out here? Thinking about adding another subject to the list?" he teased, knowing there were far too many as it was.

"Surfing? I'm afraid not; that is an activity that will remain for the parents to decide. No, Ale has asked for lessons; he thinks it looked 'cool' after seeing them on holiday. So I've booked him in for some lessons in two weeks' time; we'll see how he goes from there." Talin replied. It wasn't as if he could say no, since Jaden and Madelyn both had after-school activities of their own, seeing as he needed time to finish up his work at the school. It would no longer happen; he had hired a secretary, and he didn't want a nanny looking after his children, so it was the only choice.

"I see," Severus stated wryly. "All set for returning?"

"Yes, mostly," Talin replied, waving absently to the parents who passed by and greeted him. "I try and get it done before school finishes, or the day after, so I can spend as much time as possible with the kids. It's Jane's responsibility to get the letters out and get all the applications signed for all students."

"You don't advertise overly much in Britain, do you?" Severus enquired, "I ask because I only found out about your school through Gringotts; they must have sent a list of every magical school available in the world. The recommendations for the school were very high; it prompted my decision to come here."

"We tend to avoid the countries that have big schools of their own; mostly the students here that come from abroad have heard of it by word of mouth, or have parents who attended themselves," Talin revealed. "Considering what is on offer in Britain, I'm surprised many aren't sending the students here. But they don't begin their magical education until eleven; I wouldn't be able to admit them into this school. They would be so far behind, the stress of trying to catch up would be too much for them."

"You do care about the students, don't you?" Severus mused, still surprised even after all these years by that and by each comment he let slip that showed how much he cared for all students that came to his school.

"You always say that," Talin rebuked, shaking his head.

"I do," Severus chuckled wickedly at the look on Talin's face; it was a combination of pride, accomplishment, embarrassment, and confused annoyance. "It never ceases to amaze me."

"Apparently," Talin muttered still feeling rather flushed. Severus didn't usually give compliments easily, or at all; to hear him say that made him feel smug, as well as concerned for the well-being of the children back in Britain. "Do none of the teachers care?"

"There are a few, but if you aren't in their house you end up… overlooked; they cannot see beyond the tip of the iceberg when it comes to their own students," Severus said slowly. "Truthfully, it wouldn't matter; the Headmaster has the last say, and they believe in him too much to contradict him or argue. Or do up until…" pausing briefly, he corrected his next statement. "The next few months, it will slowly unravel."

"That's disconcerting," Talin admitted, pursing his lips at the thought. The teachers should be observing all the students, not just their own.

"I agree; if they got rid of the Houses, I think the students would do much better. The rivalry is impossible; you should observe the Quidditch games at Hogwarts, they don't half get rather heated," Severus said. "My Slytherins more than anyone else. They're ostracised by the other Houses; the only thing they feel they can win at is Quidditch." Nothing he said got through to them; they played to win with rigorous fervour. A frown twisted his features, as he thought about it.

"What is it?" Talin questioned, sensing Severus' emotions taking a nosedive.

"I will no longer be there to help them. I hope they do not feel abandoned, but I cannot stay there just for them; I have to think about myself, and more importantly, my son," Severus confessed sadly. "They would have flourished here; perhaps even in the end been able to get away from the fate that awaits them."

"You cannot know that, Septimus; they may be able to carve their own path ― break away from the mould their parents have cast," Talin said. It was more of a platitude, really. Most would stay in the mould; one or two might be lucky enough to pull away and do what was right, not easy. Normally he would have said there was no telling what the future would hold, but really, that would just ring with irony.

"Perhaps," Severus stated, doubt coating his voice.

"Does Harrison know that I know?" Talin enquired, seeing that Harry was leaving the water, his board clutched under his arm, evidently spelled lightweight, otherwise he would have had a little more trouble than that.

"It hasn't come up, but considering how smart he is, I wouldn't put it past him to have already figured it out," Severus revealed shrewdly. Standing up, he found that he was glad to be going back; as nice as it was to get out now and again, he still preferred being on his own ― too much social interaction was grating on him. He liked spending time with Talin, Jason, and Nathan, and having the occasional conversation with those who were curious about his books and the potions he made for them. He was always happy to educate people about potions; it was one of his passions, after all.

"Good afternoon, Headmaster!" Harry chirped happily, if slightly breathless from his exercise and still wet, but he would dry up very quickly with the sun as hot as it was.

"Good afternoon, Harrison," Talin said, giving the boy a smile. "I hope you're enjoying the rest of your summer,"

"Yep! I've done all my homework too," Harry declared.

"Glad to hear it," Talin said impressed; even his daughter hadn't done all her homework yet. "It was nice seeing you both, but I'm afraid I must depart. I'll see you soon; enjoy the rest of your holiday," he added before Apparating on the spot.

"He knows too, doesn't he?" Harry asked, as they moved away from the beach. He couldn't wait until he could Apparate too, but unfortunately he had a few years to go until he could take the lessons.

Severus gazed at Harry speculatively, wondering if Harry was actually guessing, or if he already knew deep down. "Indeed," he confessed. "Let's get back home."

"Okay," Harry said, not surprised in the slightest. He decided he didn't want to know just how long Talin had known; it was probably for the best that he didn't.

"Did you let David know that you won't be here for a few days?" Severus asked as they walked off the beach and wandered home.

"Yeah; he thanked me for letting him know," Harry said, shaking his head to get the water out, although it would be bone-dry by the time they got home. "Did you ask Headmaster Addison if he'll take Mishi?"

"Ah, Talin has expressed a desire to come with us; how would you feel about that?" Severus asked, as he turned the corner into their street.

"What about Jaden, is he coming too?" Harry asked. He was good friends with Jaden; sometimes Ale trailed along too.

"No; the fewer people that know and come with us, the safer we will be," Severus stated.

"Actually, dad, it's said there's safety in numbers," Harry replied cheekily, grinning.

"While that is somewhat accurate, it also draws attention to you, sometimes unwanted attention," Severus added.

"Yeah," Harry murmured thoughtfully. "So who can take Mishi?"

"I will ask Nathan and Jason; they're at the school," Severus commented, "I'm sure they won't mind,"

"Will I have to pack some food for Luna?" Harry asked. "Or will we be able to get some fresh food over there?"

"I'm sure we can get something over there," Severus told him immediately as they crossed the wards of their property. He didn't want to pack too much, not just for the few days they would be away.

"Oh, good, I didn't want to have to pack food," Harry said in relief.

"You haven't packed sweets?" Severus enquired knowingly.

"That's different," Harry protested, sniggering softly. "I think I'm going to save up for a new wolf bag, dad; mine looks really old now… is the shop you bought it at still open?"

"It is, but I don't know if they'll have the bag you want," Severus cautioned him, gazing over at Harry, who was picking up his bag. It was older than old. Harry had had the bag since he'd been four years old; it was one of the first things he'd bought him when they'd come over. They'd repaired it as often as it could be repaired; unfortunately the spell couldn't continue making something look new ― not with the number of times it had been done. "The Portkey will take us really early, so go to bed soon so you at least get some sleep."

"Early? Why?" Harry asked in confusion. He put his bag over his shoulder, planning on taking it up the stairs. He moved away from the living room and into the kitchen, intending to open the door so Luna could get in… not that she couldn't, since she could. She could open the door… that is, if it wasn't locked.

"Time difference," Severus explained, checking his potions bag and making sure he had everything he would potentially need for the trip.

"Oh, yeah," Harry said, feeling stupid for not thinking of that. He opened the back door wide so that Luna would know they were back once she was finished playing with her brothers and sisters. Nabbing a cookie, he wandered back through; seeing their conversation was over he sprinted up the stairs to get ready. He was quite anxious; he was obviously showing it, since his dad had reassured him quite a few times. He didn't know what they were like, or if he would like them; that was probably what worried him most.

Unbeknownst to Harry, his father was just as anxious, if not more so, about the outcome; he was just better at not showing it.

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><p>Edited by Jake and Jordre thanks guys!<p> 


	40. Chapter 40

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 40**

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><p>The Portkey went off without a hitch, carting them off. Although the ride itself was rather rocky and took quite a few minutes, he soon found himself looking at the most disgusting hut he'd ever seen. Talin looked around further, curious about this place; the pictures he had seen… well, made the place look absolutely breathtaking. Admittedly, it had been absolutely covered in a blanket of white snow. This, here, he was seeing, made him feel extremely cheated. Instead of the beauty, it was a street full of different sized cottages, with shops further down if one could go by the names emblazoned on the front of them.<p>

"Holy hell, Dad, it's bloody freezing!" Harry exclaimed unhappily, shivering as he tried futilely to wrap his summer cloak around himself to ward off the sudden chill. Leaning down and quickly rummaging in his bag, he was dismayed. A groan left his lips before he stated "I don't have warmer clothes!" It wasn't even this cold during the winter; he didn't even own a winter cloak or coat, as there had never been a need for one.

Talin chuckled; it seemed they hadn't come prepared for the weather change. He himself had a dark purple winter cloak on; his wife had painstakingly made it for him for their first anniversary, seeing as they'd been travelling. He didn't get the opportunity to wear it often, not that he wanted to. He wanted to keep it as new as possible; it was one of the many things he had of hers that he would never give away or throw out. It was very precious and dear to him; he could still remember the day she'd given it to him.

"Then we will have to get you something temporarily, until we return," Severus replied, his own teeth chittering slightly. He would as well. The clothes he'd worn when he first arrived in St. Lucia were long gone; in fact he couldn't remember wearing them after the first night. "Madam Malkin's will do." Turning to face Harry shrewdly, he bent down and whispered, "Change the colour of your eyes."

"This better?" Harry asked, his eyes going from green with black speckles to mirror images of Severus'. His hand automatically started stroking Luna, who was panting and gazing around, taking in her new surroundings with her ears erect, listening for any sign of danger. It was the first time she'd been Portkeyed anywhere, and he'd been terrified that something would happen, that she'd end up somewhere else if he let go. She didn't have a collar or lead or anything of the sort; she didn't need one, as she wasn't a domesticated dog. She was a wolf, and a proud one.

"Much," Severus said smirking wryly. The gift was very rare, and it was amazing to see that his eleven-year-old son had such a tremendous control over it. The book said it came easy, at least changing the basic features; it was additional things that were harder to master ― like pig noses, and such ― although Severus personally didn't understand why anyone would want to change their noses or features to that of an animal.

"Can we get warm now?" Harry asked, unable to stop himself from whining, he was so cold. "Whoa!" He gaped as his dad put some sort of magical amulet around his neck; it completely changed him. Stepping forward and gazing intently, Harry was utterly amazed. That was some powerful magic, there wasn't even a telltale sign, which they had been trained to look for at school, to show magic was being used to conceal something. Maybe it was because it wasn't an actual glamour and a spell hadn't been cast. "Where did you get that, dad?"

"A very long time ago," Severus admitted, "just as I came back." To everyone else the comment would imply just a trip, not the reality of what it was.

"It is amazing," Talin commented. "I don't notice a single fault; it's even changed your voice a little. Who created this?" It was the best he'd ever seen; it had changed the angle of Severus' face.

"Need you ask?" Severus replied wryly, giving him a pointed look.

"Of course," Talin muttered, nodding. "The Goblins." His tone was resigned; goblin magic was different from their own. "If you will allow, I'd like to examine it."

"I've already done testing on it, but you're welcome to try." Severus gave his permission, turning slightly when he heard a squeak of startled surprise. Arching an eyebrow, he was momentarily confused until he realized that the girl was terrified of Luna. He couldn't help rolling his eyes; the bloody wolf wasn't even paying her the slightest bit of attention. She wasn't worthy of the attention, only those who dared to even think about harming Harry or coming too close for her liking ended up on the receiving end of her stare.

"I wonder what time it is here?" Talin commented, looking at his watch, and mentally calculating it. "Hmm, it is rather early; did we need to be here this soon?" He gazed at Severus in curiosity, since he was the only one who knew.

"Yes," Severus answered firmly, that was one thing he was very sure of. Right now Minerva and his other self would be seeing about getting the body from the unmarked graveyard he had been placed in. "Why don't we get into the shop and then stop off somewhere private and get something to eat?"

"Are we going to see the place where we stayed before moving to St. Lucia?" Harry enquired, excited about knowing more about his past. He knew his dad had kept the property, it was one of the things he'd commented on in the times he'd asked about past. He still had many questions though; maybe being here could shed some light on them.

"We will be seeing much in the next few days," Severus admitted. "Let's go."

"First things first, what is that?" Talin enquired, staring at the disgusting thing in front of him and wondering why it hadn't been knocked down. "It looks very out of place, why don't they knock it down and add to the school or make it a courtyard for the people here? There aren't many places for people to go other than shopping, no places to sit and have a rest; the only area I can see for that on the outside would be that shop over there," Talin said pointing towards it.

"That is Fortescue's ice cream parlour," Severus commented, then he motioned towards the decrepit building before them. "This is known by the people as the most haunted building in the UK, the magical world at the very least. It was aptly named the Shrieking Shack; it's mostly used by the students at Hogwarts during dares to go as near as possible."

"Shack? Yes, I'd say it's aptly named," Talin said, "You said by the people; I'm assuming the people here? And those at Hogwarts have a different theory, or is it just yourself?"

"I very nearly died, or at least was nearly turned into a werewolf there when I was sixteen years old," Severus confessed, staring at the Shack pensively, completely forgetting about the presence of his son. "Sirius Black thought it was funny to send me down there during the full moon. Everyone thought he was different from the rest of the Blacks, but the truth is, I think some of the Black madness lingers in there somewhere, perhaps even the sadism the family feels. He has suffered more than enough for the prank though, and I only hope that somehow he can be the grown-up I need him to be." For Harry; if Black's influence caused Harry to change, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from unleashing hell on the idiot.

"You forgave him?" Talin asked, inwardly awed. So the Shack had been used by a werewolf, keeping him locked up inside, safe from harming others while he was educated. It was quite possibly the only selfless thing Dumbledore seemed to have done. What made that one werewolf so special that he was allowed an education while the rest were condemned here?

"He's just spent ten years in Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit; he would do anything for Harry, and we did get some peace between us during the next few days," Severus told him.

"Are we finished with this yet?" Harry asked, huddling into Luna just to get some of her warmth.

Severus looked down and chuckled. "Come," he said. This was normal British weather; Harry couldn't hack it ― it was hilarious despite the fact that it shouldn't be. He doubted very much that Harry would ever move back here, not willingly at any rate. Severus was a little more capable of handling it, due to the fact that he was used to it. Harry didn't have any memories of being here.

With that they walked away from the ugly sight that the Shrieking Shack made, and began to walk around Hogsmeade, past the cottages that still had curtains closed, although one or two already had them pulled back. Soon they were wandering from the residential area to the shops; the alley was very short and narrow.

"There doesn't seem like much, why is that?" Harry asked; his street had much more than this single area, never mind anything else.

"This is just a small area; we have Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley as well," Severus told him, "This is the only purely magical area we have."

"Purely magical area? I guess you mean it how it's said," Talin frowned, unimpressed; Squibs weren't treated right here, and it was wrong.

"Indeed," Severus replied. There had been a time when he'd agreed with the belief that Muggles—or rather, non-magical people, as they were called in St. Lucia—shouldn't know about magic, due to the fact that he'd gone through it personally with his father. But after years in St. Lucia, interacting with people who knew about magic, Squibs who lived with their families attending different schools or, if they wanted, they could take the non-magical classes at the Grande Riviere Magical School, his beliefs had changed, along with him. Well, a little bit; he hadn't changed completely, and thank Merlin for that.

"In here." Severus opened the door to Madam Malkin's, flashing back to the last time he'd been here, buying things for a small child; now here he was, a grown teenager… almost.

"That thing doesn't belong in here!" Madam Malkin squeaked out in a shrill terrified voice, staring at the wolf as if it had already caused her undue damage.

"It's just a wolf, not a lethifold; calm down," Harry said annoyed, "Are you a witch or not?"

"I will not be spoken to in that manner!" Malkin insisted, straightening up, especially not by someone from a different country; his accent was not British. She felt deeply embarrassed at being spoken to by someone whom she could only assume was an eleven-year-old, in such a way.

"Harrison, what have I told you about speaking in that manner?" Severus said in a quiet admonishing tone.

"But she's acting as if Luna's attacking her!" Harry said defensively.

"They aren't used to her here like they are at home," Severus said, "Now apologise,"

Sighing softly, he turned to Madam Malkin, "I'm sorry for the way I spoke. You'll have to forgive me, but my familiar wouldn't hurt anyone, she's very well-behaved. She waits for me at school and has never bitten anyone." His apology might be genuine, but there was still a hint of defensiveness in his tone. He had never had to defend his familiar before, and he didn't like having to at all.

Severus nodded proudly when he noticed Harry turned to him looking for acceptance or understanding; he had handled himself well.

"Apology accepted, young man, but I must ask that your familiar wait outside," Malkin said in a softer tone. "Animals aren't allowed in the shop, familiars or not."

"I shall wait outside with her, seeing as I do not require an outfit," Talin said, "Come, Luna." Talin then whistled and Luna reluctantly trudged with him out of the shop, but kept a keen eye on her human through the glass door.

"Hogwarts uniform?" Malkin questioned; it was what most people asked for at this time of year, and the boy was of Hogwarts age.

"No; two winter cloaks," Severus insisted, stepping up and allowing himself to be measured. "Black closed robe for myself."

"But can I have mine with buttons instead of fully closed? Or a zip?" Harry asked, but the look on her face told him that that wasn't going to happen any time soon.

"A Zip?" Malkin muttered bewildered, she was still trying to work out why they would want winter cloaks during the summer, never mind one with a zip.

Severus stepped down once the tape stopped measuring him out of experience; Malkin was already writing it down, despite the fact that she looked confused. Unfortunately, there was no such things as zips on cloaks here, like the women's (Lita and Natasha) in St. Lucia had. Harry had used the idea for his cloaks and created quite a successful line of clothes. They were very popular with the youngsters, apparently.

"Never mind; buttons will do," Harry sighed, shaking his head; he wanted to be warm, but hated closed robes. He liked to wear normal clothes under his robes, and closed robes didn't allow the room for that. He could remember the one time he'd actually worn them, making the mistake of trying to fly on his broom. It had not ended well for him, his broom or the robes.

"Come on, then, up you get!" she said cheerfully, in full attendant mode, ready to earn money. "Do you know which colours you would prefer, or would you like to look at our catalogue?" she added when the young boy had stepped onto the usual box she used for her customers.

"Black's fine," Harry shrugged; it wasn't as if he would be here that long, and he would definitely not need them at home.

The measuring tape began to move automatically, measuring Harry everywhere while he stood patiently. At least it was warmer in here than it was outside. He was different from everyone here; they were pasty-white like hags, while he was a permanent golden brown, tanned from all the years of sun. He was missing surfing and reading and his friends for this; it was getting boring very fast.

"Where are you both from?" she enquired, making small talk as she bustled around looking for cloaks of the correct size.

"St. Lucia," Severus replied immediately.

"Is that a hint of British accent I'm detecting?" she then asked as she pulled two cloaks from the rack with triumph.

"It is," Severus replied, telling the truth, having no way of getting around his accent.

"I see," she added, smiling sadly, assuming that he'd lost his parents during the first war and had been carted off to relatives somewhere else. "Here you are; why don't you both try these on for size?"

Harry grimaced as he took it. It was closed; honestly, he might as well not have spoken at all. At least it was fully sleeved and nice and thick. Flicking out his wand, he groaned when he realized he wasn't allowed to use it while he was here; his dad had made that very clear hours before they were coming and every few minutes afterwards.

"Dad, can you cut it down the middle?" Harry asked, putting the cloak upwards so his dad could use a spell to cut it. He heard the witch give a large exhalation of breath as if she was offended, but he had asked for an open one; it wasn't his fault he didn't like this type.

Severus removed his wand and muttered the spell; a large rip appeared where the tip of his wand went, all the way straight down to the bottom of the black robe. Sliding his wand back into its holster he handed over the money for both of them, without needing to be told the price - he was very familiar with that part; he had bought his robes from her for years, after all. As Severus nodded his head, they both exited the shop without another word. Harry was putting his cloak on hastily and had successfully done so before they stepped out.

"Where to next?" Talin asked, curiously.

Severus glanced at the time, "I think it's best we get to the house; in a few hours there is somewhere I want to take Harry." Figg had absolutely no family; he hadn't been able to save her, and he felt guilty; he wanted her to know that her sacrifice hadn't been in vain. He liked to think she could hear him somehow. It was for his own piece of mind, really; he had never forgotten what she'd tried to do.

"Where?" Harry asked curiously, sighing as the chill began to leave him.

"To see someone," Severus sighed softly, "Now, the house has blood wards on them; I have no idea if you'll be able to get through, so we need to Apparate in away from the property." He was speaking to Talin primarily.

"Blood wards? Who cast them? I was under the impression the use of 'dark magic' was forbidden here?" Talin was surprised. He didn't consider it dark magic, so the sarcasm could have been heard by a deaf man.

"Dumbledore; Lily's sacrifice," Severus whispered as someone was lingering a little too close to them. "Ready?"

"Let's go!" Talin replied firmly.

Harry wrapped his arms around Luna, keeping her safe in his arms as they were all Apparated away from Hogsmeade. When he opened his eyes and stood up straight, he observed that this was the only house for miles; it was very secluded, and the abundance of trees made it even more so. It looked very uncared-for; the grass was knee-high, but the house was perfectly preserved, as if the wards were preventing even a speck of dust from falling near it, never mind on the property.

"This is very secluded," Talin observed, but the property itself was absolutely stunning; he wasn't surprised by it. He also didn't fail to notice that it was very similar to the one in St. Lucia; evidently a lot of thought had gone into both properties. This one was different only by the fact there were no other houses on either side, while Severus had neighbours in St. Lucia and was very close to Abi. He gave her free potions, knowing how much she struggled to put both her kids into a decent school, even with scholarships.

"It is; it belongs to you, Harry," Severus revealed, "Now go ahead, in you go." Severus ushered Harry through the wards, then glanced at Talin, "The wards should let you through, seeing as you do not pose a threat to Harry,"

"Why did they remain here?" Talin enquired, amused, stepping forward and past the wards.

"I have no idea," Severus told him. "I expected them to attach to our home, but it must have been too far; either that, or deep inside we both still consider this, home? I don't think that's possible; Harry was only here for a short while, as was I." There had been no time for fondness to root in here.

"I think it is," Talin said as Severus and he stepped inside, "This was the first place you slept free of the expectations that life had thrown at you. Your chance to settle and renew, to begin again. This might have just been a stepping-stone, but it was enough, and magic sensed this. The first place Harry slept free of fear, pain, and hunger… that's a stronger motivator than one would think."

"Perhaps," Severus mused thoughtfully, "Unfortunately, we will never know; either way, it wasn't much use to us here."

"Yet you felt the wards spike as I did, as if they are as strong as ever. That I find very interesting; it's almost as if they imbued in you and your magic, not just a property," Talin commented as he looked around the bare house. There was nothing here to sit on.

"The dining room table will have to do; it's the only thing we didn't take," Severus said, as if he was reading Talin's mind. His mind wasn't fully on them, but what had happened during that night he'd snuck into the Dursleys' to save Harry. The wards had left Privet Drive and imbued in him, remaining with him until he got here before leaving; what if somehow part of the wards had remained in him, keeping the blood wards thriving, keeping Harry safe?

"This place feels familiar, dad," Harry admitted, still gazing around.

"It's the wards, son," Severus guessed.

"So… what are we going to do now?" Harry asked after a few moments, already bored out of his mind.

"Why don't you take Luna outside? She looks like she could do with some fresh air, after all that travel; do not go too far, we will be going elsewhere in a few hours," Severus insisted. It was times like that he remembered that Harry was a young child, a boy who was used to doing something nearly every minute of the day. "The wards stretch quite far, and you'll feel when you step over them. Remember, do not use magic unless it's a life-threatening situation," which he sincerely hoped it wasn't ― once had been enough, thank you very much. He didn't count the time with Mishi, since she hadn't been a threat to Harry.

Harry nodded and quickly scrambled out of his seat, glad for something to do, even if it was just to wander around and investigate the property. As always, Luna was right at his heels, wagging her tail, bounding out as soon as Harry opened the door and causing him to laugh at her exuberance. She had been a very sick cub; he'd been stupid to keep it from his dad. He thanked Merlin every day that his dad had gotten curious about his behaviour and found her. If he had killed her…it would have killed him. She had to take a potion every few months for her condition, but she was good with it; he just put it in her meat, and she gobbled it down.

It was cooler here; he noticed that Luna wasn't as quick to tire out, she wasn't panting as heavily, and, in fact, she seemed to like the cooler weather. Looking around as he trudged through the wild grass, he wondered if there was anything other than trees and a forest devoid of life. Other than the occasional bird that flew by, it was so dreary, he definitely missed the sun. Veering off the grass onto a path, he moved onto it and followed it absently. He wondered who his dad was taking him to see. Minerva? Not Sirius, and hopefully not Remus; could it be Filius? Why so soon? His dad said it was important that they not be seen until after he went to Gringotts, to keep the chain of events going. He didn't much understand the whole paradox and time-travel thing, but even he knew that if his dad didn't go back, things would turn deadly, especially for him. The four words in "deadly," to be more specific, if his dad didn't save him, he would be dead.

It was quite sobering for him; he was only eleven, and such a burden of knowledge shouldn't have been placed on his shoulders. He wasn't alone, though; he had his dad, and as long as he had his dad, Luna, his friends, and yes, even his Headmaster, who he really liked and had known nearly all his life… he didn't care about anything else. A nudge of a wet nose had him looking down, smiling softly he stroked Luna's head, reassuring her that he was fine. "Ready to head back?"

'Yes, I'm hungry,' Luna demanded of her human, glad when he cheered up. She didn't like it when he got quiet.

Harry laughed. "You're always hungry!" he complained; some things just didn't change, and as they walked back, he realized he wouldn't have it any other way. He laughed even more loudly when she just snorted at him; he shook his head ruefully as they began walking back up the path.

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><p>Edited by Jake and Jordre thank you guys!<p> 


	41. Chapter 41

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 41**

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><p>Severus Apparate them both to the graveyard, gazing around just to ensure that he remembered everything correctly ― the last thing he wanted to do was accidentally knock into himself or Minerva, which hadn't happened… at least not that he remembered. He couldn't wait until this time travel stuff was over; it was honestly messing with his head. He had done well so far, but that was because he had been well out of the area and not a danger to the timeline. Right here and now was the major part, where he discovered what was going on and went back, or rather, was convinced to go back by the others since they could not themselves.<p>

Sighing softly, he moved towards the gravesites that he knew belonged to Arabella Figg and the empty one that used to belong to Harry… or rather, the created version of Harry he had made years ago. It was gone now, they had come to get it earlier; the mess was still there but the area had been filled back up. Arabella hadn't had any family, so he found it surprising that she had a gravestone― perhaps friends had pulled together after the tragedy? The last time he'd been here he had begged Arabella for forgiveness with a small child clutched to him.

Talin had remained behind, out of respect, realizing it was something Severus and Harry would have to do alone ― should do alone, really. Kneeling down, he gazed at the name solemnly.

"Arabella Figg was a hero. She may not have had magic, but she alone deserved it more than any other," Severus told Harry as he cleaned the headstone. "She faced prejudice and disgust here; I only wish I could have saved her, taken her with us. She would have loved it at St. Lucia. Peace and acceptance, where people didn't care that she was from a magical family but without the ability to use magic."

"Why couldn't you do what you did for me?" Harry asked, placing the bouquet on the ground next to him. He had asked his dad to conjure them for him, since he couldn't use magic until he got home.

"She had no magic to harness the golem," Severus replied, "And I could not risk interfering with the events that followed for fear of screwing up. There wasn't a moment of calm between Arabella finding out and the hours that followed. If I had thought for a moment that I could have been successful, I would have done so."

"But she was magical; she just couldn't use it," Harry pointed out, then added, "but I guess it's like a Non-magical trying to brew a potion." Squibs could brew potions, but they weren't by any means strong; in fact, they were very weak. But for some, it was all they could afford ― buying from a Non-magical.

"It is indeed," Severus nodded his agreement. Muggles couldn't create potions; it quite frankly just turned into a cauldron of goo. "Soon the magical world will discover what she did; hopefully it will help create a more accepting society here… but I won't be holding my breath." This last part he mostly said to himself, not Harry.

"Did I ever meet her? Did she know my mum and dad?" Harry asked curiously, kneeling down himself.

"Not that I know about; you may have," Severus replied, standing back up, as kneeling became a little bothersome.

"So why was she so insistent on helping? That's what I don't understand," Harry revealed. "I'm not a hero; I just survived, that's all." He was staring up from where he was kneeling, trying to understand.

"I know, son, believe me, I know; unfortunately, they all consider you one. Your family gave their lives to protect you, and in turn the rest think it's a miracle. They think you have some amazing destiny in front of you, and that it's a sign you will go on and do amazing things," Severus told him quietly. "Don't get me wrong; many people see you for who you are, just a normal child, unfortunately to the majority you are, and always will be, the Boy-Who-Lived."

"Yeah," Harry said, his forehead scrunched up. The-Boy-Who-Lived… it was so corny, and he hadn't heard anything like it before in his life. He told himself it didn't matter, he wasn't staying here. He was going back home, so what did it matter what the people here liked to call him? He could soon put it all behind him, and continue living with his dad.

"I'm so sorry, Arabella," Severus whispered, guilt churning in his stomach as he stared at the gravestone.

Harry stood up and wrapped his arms around his dad's midsection, giving him comfort he obviously needed. "You once told me you can't be responsible for other people's actions, dad; I think this is one of those times. She did what was right; she died doing what she thought was right ― anyone would have done the same," Harry said, giving him his own advice back at him.

"You're right, Harry, we cannot," Severus replied firmly. "Let us go." There was nothing more to be said here; he'd done what he could ― nobody could ask more of him. Severus scoffed at his own thoughts. Of course people asked more of him, they took, took, took, and took some more, never once giving him any consideration for what it was doing to him. He hadn't minded. Of course not; he hadn't known any other way, or happiness. Harry had shown him the way, as had Talin and the others.

"Thank you," Harry thought to himself, staring up at the sky. In his own way he was grateful for what she had done. Yet the thoughts plagued him: had she done it because she'd felt it was her duty? Had she seen him as a child, or someone wonderful to watch over? Someone worthy of sacrificing herself over? He hoped that she had seen him as just a little boy, but he would never know. All he could do was take solace in the fact that he had been saved.

"What would you like to eat?" Severus asked facing his son, watching the expression on his face and wondering about it as he stared up at the sky. He couldn't put his finger on it, but Harry didn't seem angry or sad, so he wasn't too concerned.

"I don't know; surprise me. But we need something for Luna; she's bound to be really hungry!" Harry exclaimed as they began walking from the graveyard. "I hope being alone isn't driving the House-elves mad."

"They will be back with us soon; the first day will be like a holiday, but I'm sure they will keep themselves busy," Severus replied wryly. As always, Harry's bond with the House-elves was ever-present. He thought about them often, just as he had when he was younger. Every Christmas he gave them sweets as a present, continuing the tradition he'd started; the House-elves continued to create the most hideous jumpers and wooden sculptures of whatever struck their fancy, mostly animals. None of them outdid the Pegasus Dobby had created for Harry's first Christmas, though. "The Leaky Cauldron it is, then." It had the most decent food; hopefully something would be going, he didn't want to resort to using the Hogshead Inn. It was second best, and he wanted Harry and Talin to experience the best. Part of him wanted them to be impressed about something here, at least. It was probably ridiculous, but he had spent a long time here. Most of the time he'd been miserable, but it had still been where he'd learned magic, where he'd grown up.

"Will people recognize you, dad?" Harry enquired, unaware of what his father looked like before. He only had one or two pictures, from when he was at Hogwarts ― pictures that were precious to him since his mum was in them too. There were lots of pictures from back home, but nothing in-between.

"No, definitely not," Severus answered wryly, he was much too tan, and with the subtle changes to his face… there was no way anyone would figure him out. "Hold on," he added, once they were obscured enough to Apparate away without being seen. Once Harry had a tight grip, he poured his magic over both of them before disappearing.

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><p>"You didn't take long," Talin said when they returned, looking surprised as he lowered his book and gazed at them, making sure that they were all right. The smell of food caught his attention and made his stomach growl. He had to admit he was hungry; he hadn't eaten much breakfast before they had come with the Portkey. "I hope everything went well?"<p>

"As can be expected," Severus sighed; he hadn't felt quite so guilty or stressed in years, and that was with raising a son on his own with no experience whatsoever. He hadn't quite expected it to be so nerve-wracking. He wasn't used to being so tense like this now; it felt like a whole new experience, despite the fact that he'd dealt with such occurrences for twenty-one years at least. First at Spinner's End, then at Hogwarts, but he had saved the best for last: being a spy and a Death Eater. "I've bought us something to eat; afterwards we will need to create some beds, and then it will be time to inform the others."

"Can we investigate Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley while we're here?" Harry asked as he wandered through to the kitchen, and the clattering of plates and cutlery could be heard.

"I would love to see Stonehenge," Talin admitted, "if we have the time while we're here."

"Why not?" Severus said, knowing that Talin had come all this way to help him; the least he could do was show him around. Noticing Harry bringing through the dishes, he smiled in approval before opening the containers and beginning to plate them out equally.

"I'll get Luna's!" Harry exclaimed, noticing her sniffing around in the bag for her own. Moving around his dad and his wolf, he ripped open the carrier bag and the paper wrapped around the large hunk of meat. He barely put it down on the floor before Luna was diving for it, her teeth ripping it to shreds within seconds and swallowing it. Once he was sure she would be all right, he slid into a seat beside his dad and Talin. "They say Stonehenge is imbued with strong magic; do you think it's true?"

"It's suggested it is, but it's never been confirmed, at least in nothing I've read. Even at my age there is always something new to learn. It certainly would be interesting to find out whether it is or not," Talin explained, always happy to educate children… especially bright ones that wanted to learn. "Have you been, Septim― Severus?" It seemed as though old habits were hard to break after all.

"My family was hardly the sort to take outings of any kind, and students never leave Hogwarts' grounds unless it's to go to Hogsmeade," Severus confessed wryly. That was where Grande Riviere differed; they broadened the children's horizons a lot. He should know; he'd been talked into going on more than his fair share of field trips. Harry was very good at that; he suspected there was a lot of Slytherin and Gryffindor in Harry. The hat would have had a difficult time sorting him if he'd been attending Hogwarts. "We have plenty of time to investigate; the tourist season has ended in the non- magical world, so it won't be too crowded."

"How long is plenty?" Talin enquired after swallowing a mouthful of food, cringing slightly at the sound of teeth grinding against a bone. Neither Severus nor Harry reacted; they must be used to it.

"Just until tomorrow morning," Severus admitted. "Right about now, Sirius Black is being removed from Azkaban."

"He will be stronger, yes? You were feeding him; this contradicts heavily the knowledge that he looked like a human skeleton when he got out…" Talin confessed thoughtfully, leaning back, having finished his meal, which he had to admit was really good.

"No, Black has always been thin; the mind sees what it chooses to see. The garment he has on is two sizes too big, previously used by someone else. He's filthy, tired, and out of shape after his exposure to Dementors. I regretfully haven't been giving him potions with his food for the past month, so the toll will be felt even more. They would have found out someone was helping him if I'd continued; from what I was told he ended up in the medical wing twice, so it really wasn't feasible," Severus revealed quietly, not liking that his son was hearing this at all. How could Harry go back to his normal self after hearing all this? Black would be mentally drained, and hearing that Harry was gone would top it off; he wasn't in any condition to think clearly. He'd figured out why Black wouldn't help Harry ― he truly hadn't been in any shape to do so.

"This is true," Talin mused; without the potions, it would have been like when he'd just ended up in there; it was horrific to contemplate. "At least he's out; that is all that matters."

"For now," Severus admitted, nodding his head; it was all that mattered for now. Flicking his wand, he muttered under his breath, and the dishes and cutlery began to float though to the sink and began washing themselves. "Would you like to go now? Or rest for a while?"

"I've sat down long enough, I think," Talin smirked wryly. "I'm quite happy to go wherever it is you wish, just as long as we pick up a Hogwarts pamphlet. I would like to know more than the intel I managed to gather over the years, which admittedly isn't much." But that was no surprise, schools liked to keep quiet about their classes, who taught them, and what they taught.

"No; unfortunately, nothing short of questioning Dumbledore under Veritaserum would get you the answers you seek. Even then I do not think you would find them satisfactory," Severus confessed. It wouldn't be happening anyway; Dumbledore was incapacitated right now. A heart attack could spell the end of him and his regime at Hogwarts. The last thing they needed was a weak and ill headmaster.

"I don't think anyone would like any answer to a question aimed at Dumbledore, from what I've been told," Talin informed him wryly. It was a shame; with all his academic achievements, he could have gone on to do so much, not that being a headmaster wasn't important and impressively rewarding. Look at Jason; he might teach students potions, but he was also inventing them, encouraging others to do the same thing. He had even encouraged Severus to write his books on Potions and even put his own twists to the potions that made them more potent and better than the original recipes. Thankfully, all those potions had been invented a long time ago, so there were no Potions Masters and Mistresses out there to get offended by the improvements to them.

* * *

><p>Later That Night<p>

"How are you feeling?" Severus asked, after entering his son's old bedroom. Nothing other than a makeshift bed was currently situated in it. Everything other than the carpet and, of course, the wallpaper had been taken with them when they moved. Severus sat himself on the bottom of Harry's mattress and gazed at his son, giving him his undivided attention. If his son felt half of what he did, well, he would need to talk at the very least.

"I had fun," Harry said grinning widely. "I was bored earlier, and I thought it would stay that way, but going to Stonehenge was really fun."

"I'm glad to hear it," Severus said, relaxing; it was also extremely odd seeing Harry go so long without having his nose buried in a book. Although after looking in his bag, he could see why. He'd packed all the wrong things, but he was only eleven; he still had a bit of growing up to do.

"I'd like to get one more of those cloaks, though," Harry admitted sheepishly, his covers pulled up over his shoulders as he kept himself warm.

"Getting attached?" Severus couldn't help but tease him.

"Well, I'll be getting them to put some buttons on them though, they're really comfy," Harry said quietly. "Might even iron on a few designs; I can use the ones I got for my birthday a few years ago." The more he thought about it, the more excited he became.

"A few years? Try nearly six," Severus pointed out wryly, "We can head over again tomorrow; don't go in with Luna again,"

Harry screwed up his face. "Everyone here is so scared of their own shadow; why do they see her and fear her so much? She doesn't even pay any attention to them," he grumbled petulantly.

"They are, and I've already explained why," Severus stated pointedly. He didn't get on at Harry too much; he was within his right to defend his familiar. Severus would have done the same thing. Unfortunately, the situation wasn't without its complications; if any of them tried to hurt her… the situation could quite quickly get out of hand.

"I know, dad," Harry said solemnly, his green eyes back and gazing at Severus earnestly. "I just don't like it."

"Indeed," Severus replied. "Are you ready for tomorrow?" He wasn't; there wasn't enough time in the world for him to be ready for what was about to go down. Part of him just wanted to go back home and forget about this, let the others believe something terrible had gone wrong and he had failed. Unfortunately, he couldn't do that to Minerva or Filius; they didn't deserve it. Another part of him didn't like the thought of sharing Harry with Lupin or Black. He couldn't keep from being worried that his son would rather be with them than him; it was illogical, but he couldn't control it.

"I don't know," Harry said, sounding lost.

"What worries you?" Severus enquired.

"What if they're disappointed in me?" Harry revealed.

"Disappointed how?" Severus asked incredulously.

"Dad… everyone here thinks I'm some sort of hero. I'm not; what if that's what they're expecting?" Harry said.

Severus moved closer up the bed. "Do you remember what I said to you years ago? About being who you are?"

"That you would be proud of me no matter what I did," Harry repeated from memory.

"That's right, and I will be. Never bow to the expectations of others, Harry; all that will lead to is unhappiness, and somewhere down the line, anger at yourself. None of the people we are going to see tomorrow care about the title you were given. They care about you, and only you," Severus insisted firmly. "Do you think I would let anyone judge you needlessly and stand back and do nothing about it? Do you think I would put you in that situation at all?"

"No," Harry stated vehemently, surprised and shocked that his dad would think that. "Never! I just meant…"

"I know, son; just be yourself, they will be in awe of you. I know I am," Severus stated honestly, moving the covers up more, making sure his son was warm enough… mostly out of habit. "Get some sleep," he added as he stood up, ready to make his way out of the room, absently brushing his hand over Luna, who was at the other side of the bed. "Good night."

"Goodnight, dad; love you," Harry said quietly as he turned over, his worries easing since he believed his dad wholeheartedly.

"I love you too," Severus admitted even more quietly before he exited the bedroom, leaving it open a little crack just in case Luna wanted to leave the room. Sighing softly, he stood there for a few minutes gathering his scattered wits; he couldn't believe his son thought anyone could be disappointed in him. It was his own fault; he should never have told him about that idiotic title and everyone's belief of his character. He was doubting himself, his self-worth, trying to live up to a fictitious character that the damn wizarding public had decided upon. Perhaps tomorrow would settle any doubts Harry had about what they cared about… who they cared about.

If any of them gave Harry the barest hint of it not being so… he would kill them with his bare hands himself. This was the first hint of self-consciousness he'd ever seen from Harry, and quite frankly it shocked him. Hopefully going home would put an abrupt end to it. Abruptly coming out of his thoughts, Severus wandered back to the living room where Talin currently sat reading his book again.

He didn't care if that meant taking up the mantle of Septimus Regis for life. He would do that; anything for Harry. He had a feeling in his bones, though, that things were about to change; he just prayed that it was a good change… not a bad one.

* * *

><p>Edited by Jake and Jordre thank you guys!<p> 


	42. Chapter 42

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 42**

* * *

><p><strong>Talin <strong>

Talin observed the school before him… no, castle; it was magnificent in its splendor. According to the information he'd gathered from both Severus and the pamphlets he had gathered (which in his opinion were solely lacking in terms of understanding for Muggle-born students), the first-year students came across in a boat, seeing the castle at night in all its glory. He could imagine just how breathtaking it would be for eleven-year-olds; he was impressed himself, he had to admit.

What he didn't understand was why they were so happy to allow the school to deteriorate so badly. Dwindling population? Fear? Ignorance? Pretty soon they would be meeting up with Minerva McGonagall. She was the Deputy Headmistress; perhaps she would know and be able to explain a few things to him. He would also be meeting Filius Flitwick, who sounded very impressive, someone he would love to take on at his own school (he liked to have the best for his students), and, of course, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black.

He wasn't sure what to think of both men, Remus and Sirius. Severus was very honest about them, but he harboured no ill will towards them. Well he probably did, deep down, but wanted to set a good example for Harry—at least he was assuming so.

Could he help Hogwarts to be returned to its former glory? Was there even the slightest possibility that he could change the ways in Britain's magical world? Those who could change things had a responsibility to change them. What if doing that endangered Harry? The wizard who was Headmaster was obviously someone to contend with. Severus, from what he had seen, was very formidable; his staring at you the right way could scare you half to death. The look that would overcome his face when speaking about the wizard who had hurt Harry was proof enough of that.

He shouldn't stay here; things were set in motion, and he didn't want to interrupt them. He had listened to the radio— wizarding wireless— last night, the speech Minister Cornelius Fudge had given. He'd seemed very shaken and meek; with the information he'd been broadcasting, it was little wonder. So despite the fact he wanted to investigate further, Talin turned and wandered off. He had been in a few shops, bought a few souvenirs for his children and a book each that he thought both Jason and Nathan would enjoy. It was by their favourite author; the book wasn't available over in St. Lucia yet, since it had just come out today, so hopefully they didn't have it.

Severus and Harry were in Diagon Alley. They were to meet back up in an hour, then they would be going to a place called Godric's Hollow. This was the part he wasn't looking forward to, the knowledge that if Severus hadn't done what he had, risked everything, his very life, in trusting the Goblins and their abilities to manipulate time and send him back, it would really be a child they would be burying. Don't get him wrong, he had seen his fair share of funerals, including people taken before their time; it didn't get any easier to see.

He Apparated on the spot, thinking clearly of an area he remembered from their previous short visits to the Alley. The feeling of being sucked through a tube informed him he had been successful; he was also in the right place, the cobblestones under his feet were a dead giveaway. Gazing around, he tried to find the pair; unfortunately the entire alley seemed packed. The crowd was centred solely on one shop ― one that sold flowers, if the sign was anything to go by. When he said packed, he meant _packed;_ he was surprised he had managed to Apparate successfully without ending up bodily bumping into someone. They weren't staying around, he realized, as he observed them leaving as soon as they bought a bouquet of flowers or whatever it was they wanted very hastily, as if they suspected the Alley was about to be attacked.

He wasn't even going to try to manoeuvre around the people; instead he just moved backwards and leaned against the building ― continuing to keep an eye open for both Severus and Harry. While he did so, he continued to think about Hogwarts, about how it could be improved; wondering what would happen to the Headmaster. That was one of the few things he didn't know the outcome of. The old man had had a heart attack before the funeral; he was still laid up in the hospital ward, and would remain so for however long it took him to either succumb to the attack or recover. Talin wasn't one to wish death on anyone, but from what he'd heard, it would be best for all concerned if he did die from the heart attack.

* * *

><p><strong>Harry - Madam Malkin's <strong>

Harry stepped into Madam Malkin's again. He had been to a few other shops; at Quality Quidditch Supplies, he'd gotten a few posters, and at the book store, Flourish and Blotts, he'd gotten two books he didn't have on Alchemy, although one was Advanced Alchemy, and he wouldn't be able to read that one for a while or truly understand it. He had left Luna at home, not wanting to see people so scared of his familiar― he didn't like it. She was his; she'd never hurt anyone unless they were hurting him, and it had just been one time. He couldn't remember a time without her, so it was only logical that Harry would defend her so zealously.

The first thing Harry noticed in Madam Malkin's was the fact that he wasn't alone; there was another boy around his age getting measured. He looked like a doll, blonde hair swept back, dressed impeccably; his clothes were the best made, by the look of things. There was something strangely familiar about him; he just couldn't put his finger on it. The only place he could possibly have seen him was perhaps in the yearbooks; his dad had brought a few yearbooks with him, and he looked through them all the time. This boy could be a son of someone in the books.

"Hullo," he said. Draco eyed the boy; he looked to be around his age, and he wondered why he wasn't at Hogwarts. Maybe he didn't attend Hogwarts or was just younger than he looked. Still, he had to ask, "Do you attend Hogwarts?"

"No," Harry replied honestly, although he was curious about the school itself; he'd love to see where all his parents had been educated. He wasn't curious enough to go there for classes, though; he liked his own school.

"My father's next door buying me extra-curricular books, and mother's up the street getting a bouquet of flowers," Draco drawled, his voice sounding bored. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first-years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one, and I'll smuggle it in somehow."

"Wait, why aren't you allowed your own broom?" Harry asked aghast, "How do you play if you don't have a broom?"

"You need to be thirteen to play, don't you know anything?" he asked condescendingly.

"Thirteen?" Harry was horrified, he had been playing for years, and he wasn't old enough here yet? It was diabolical; thank Merlin he hadn't decided to come here. He wasn't completely Quidditch crazy, but he was good, and his team had won a lot of awards over the years, and had lost some intense games, too. They were nowhere near as good as the actual international players; they were so fast you could barely see them! They were amazing.

"I take it you've not played Quidditch at all," he sighed in annoyance, anyone that liked Quidditch knew all the rules, this boy didn't know a single one.

"Yes, I've played both Seeker and Chaser for my Quidditch team," Harry informed him, "I have over thirty medals from the games we've won."

Draco snorted at the words, clearly thinking that this boy was off his rockers. There were no Quidditch teams, he was obviously making it up to seem smarter than he was. "If you say so," clearly displaying his disbelief.

Harry narrowed his eyes. "You can ask my dad if you don't believe me," he stated, quite angry that this stranger was calling him a liar.

"He is our kind, isn't he?" the blond said, his tone turning haughty.

Harry's eyes were slits now, "If you mean he's a wizard, then yes," _prejudiced git_.

"That's you done, my dear," Madam Malkin insisted, preventing further conversation; the Malfoy heir stepped from the stool. "How can I help you today, young man?" She remembered him from before, which was not hard to do seeing as he was back in the robes that he had purchased and altered. She didn't want an altercation in her shop; she also didn't want the wolf familiar entering her shop again ― once had been enough.

"Just two of these cloaks, do you have them in different colours?" Harry queried, his morphed onyx eyes gazing penetratingly at her, just like his father, in actual fact.

"We have them in black, blue, green, red, yellow, orange, purple, and, of course, white," Madam Malkin replied. Not many white ones sold, so they didn't have a lot of them on hand, just enough to deal with anyone actually wishing to purchase one.

"I'll have the blue and green then," Harry said; the others just weren't his colours at all… although that would depend on what shade of red it was. He only had enough for two of them, then that was all the money he'd saved up from his allowances, gone. He knew his dad would say yes if he asked, but he didn't need anything else today. Just thinking about it made him feel queasy; he was so worried about things out of his control.

"Is this one a perfect fit?" she asked, making sure he was happy with it.

"Yes, ma'am," Harry nodded, it kept him warm too.

"Good," Malkin's said puffing up proudly, before she wandered over to her back room, getting him the size he needed. Since it was one of the sizes she sold every day, it wasn't difficult. Pattering around, she found the two colours he had requested, grasped a hold of them, and made her way back through ― today would be a busy day. She was quite annoyed that her assistants weren't in yet; they had been due in over ten minutes ago. They knew how she valued their being prompt; if they wanted a full-time job, they weren't going about it the right way.

"Here you go," she said, wrapping them up in paper packaging and tying them with the strings without a thought. "That's…" before she could get the price out, he was handing over the exact amount for both items of clothing, giving her a small sheepish smile. He was good with numbers; after having his dad help him with maths when he was younger, he found it exceedingly easy now. That and, of course, it was only yesterday he had been there to get his black one, and he remembered how much it had cost; he wasn't stupid.

Accepting the money, her lips twitched; just as she'd thought, he wasn't one for waiting around. Draco, however, had been instructed to wait for his father, so he wasn't in any rush to go anywhere.

Draco watched indignantly, he had been there first! It was he she should be serving; without his family's money, this Alley would be a disgrace ― his father had told him so. He didn't care that his order was a large one, or that it would take much longer, the liar should have been forced to wait his turn, in his book. He had taken this opportunity to get a new wardrobe— not a school one, of course, but a normal one. He had seen the second through seventh years wearing their normal clothes in the common room, and of course he couldn't help himself, he just had to have what they did. The only reason they'd gotten today off, and his parents had come, was because Harry Potter was dead. They were going to pay their respects; he knew his parents hated Potter… but appearances had to be upheld.

"Thank you," Harry said, and taking his parcel, he wandered out of the shop without a backward look. He didn't understand why the students weren't allowed to play Quidditch, or allowed their own brooms. Maybe they couldn't afford it? But that seemed unlikely; it was a school, so surely they could find a way to raise the money? He walked out to pandemonium. People were rushing about their business looking absolutely devastated; he withheld the urge to ask someone what was wrong. He swore he even saw tears on a few people's faces. There was no way he could find his dad; he wasn't tall enough to see over everyone. To make matters worse, the boy, whose name he didn't even know, chose that exact moment to step out of the shop.

He wasn't going to stand here and listen to him again, so he forced himself to move through the crowd, hoping that his dad would be somewhere and see him at least. Then he heard his Headmaster's voice over the crowd, calling his name, somehow being heard above all the noise.

"Harrison! Over here," Talin called loudly, ignoring the looks he received. "That's the right direction," he added, seeing Harry turning around; he must have heard since he began walking, squeezing between the people until he could see him for himself.

"Can you see dad?" Harry asked, gratefully standing beside him now that he wasn't being shoved or hit accidentally by people walking in the opposite direction from him.

"Not yet," Talin informed him. "People are leaving, so it won't be so busy for long."

"I haven't seen anything like this since dad took me to that Potion convention six months ago," Harry said in surprise, but he did notice that Talin was right, people were leaving. Mark always had notices up in his shop, and he and his dad were friends, so when a known Potions Master was doing a tour, Mark had suggested him. His dad had taken him along for the ride. It had been amazing. They hadn't stayed, though; his dad had just spent one afternoon there. His real purpose had been obtaining the one ingredient he wanted to try out in potions to see if it strengthened them. "I wonder what's going on today…" It didn't look like there was a new book ― the book shop was at the north end of the Alley.

Talin just made a small noise of agreement, but he had already put two and two together and come up with the correct conclusion. Not that it was difficult; after all, it had been announced, admittedly during the night when not a lot of people would have been awake. No, it would have been mentioned along with the morning news, hence the flooding of Diagon Alley for flowers and such and why everyone was devastated. When Severus said Harry was a hero, that everyone knew his name… he hadn't realised the so-called fame extended to this… this display.

"Disgusting, isn't it? They didn't even react that way when the war ended; too busy celebrating in his name to even ask where he was or how he was," Severus stated, causing Talin to nearly jump in fright― how had he done that? He hadn't seen or heard him at all. "Of course, I was one of them," he added in self-disgust.

"DAD!" Harry said in relief, grunting as someone shoved passed him. He wanted out of here; it was madness. He hated being small! If he was taller, they would notice him more.

"You celebrated?" Talin asked sceptically.

"No, but I didn't wonder how he was," Severus replied, low enough for only Talin to hear. "Thank Merlin he doesn't meet my other self." It made him feel so ashamed of the way he had been in the past, and it was his past, even if they were in the present now.

"Can we take Luna with us?" Harry wanted to go back for her; he didn't like the fact that she was stuck in a strange house all by herself. She had never, ever been alone; even if he and his dad went out, she always had her brothers and sisters to play with out back.

"Very well," Severus conceded; it wasn't as if they were going to be near anyone for this part.

"Yes!" Harry cheered.

* * *

><p><strong>Godric's Hollow <strong>

Harry watched what was happening from the hill. Two spells had been cast on him at his own request, one to hear what was happening and another to see what was going on. The spell had been cast on conjured glasses that acted as a magnifier, allowing him to actually see everybody's face. He was able to see despite the fact that his cloak's hood was up; his dad's and Talin's were the same. Talin's robes had been charmed black in order to prevent drawing any attention; black had the ability to fade into the landscape – purple… not so much. Luna was lying down at his feet, just happy that she wasn't being left on her own.

He wasn't quite sure why he was here, or having to watch this, but his dad said it was important for him to realize something. Something he said he was confident he could work out on his own. He noticed the hearse pulling in, and felt his stomach get queasy. That was him in there, or a version of him, at least. "The wizard in the patched-up robes is Remus Lupin; the wizard in the clothes two sizes too big for him beside the car is Sirius Black. The witch in tartan next to him is Minerva McGonagall," Severus explained for both their benefits.

"That's you," Harry choked out, rattled beyond belief at seeing his dad look so… so… there were no words he could think of. He looked so old, so worn down, pale, and pasty; he honestly had a hard time believing he had managed to pick his father out. They didn't look anything alike, other than having the same chiselled features; even his hair was different. "You look so sad." It hurt to see this; he didn't want to anymore. He now understood what his dad had meant before they came here, about how coming back had given him another chance, how being his father had given him a second chance.

"Do not be sad for me, Harry," Severus insisted, at least not this version of him. After what he had just been thinking the days past, he certainly didn't deserve it. "Good things are coming for him." Or was that "were"? No, he hadn't experienced it yet. It was making his head hurt just thinking about it; his other self was about to go back and make sure his present wouldn't be altered. Part of him wanted to reassure himself that he would do a good job, but that would defeat the entire purpose of all he'd gone through.

Harry couldn't help but smile when he saw his dad giving… Remus? some potions, in his usual no-nonsense fashion when it came to making someone better. It helped him more than he knew to see something so familiar in the stranger down there. Leaning against his father, he watched what was happening, knowing how lucky he was. His contentment didn't last long, though; as they began singing, it made tears come to his eyes. Part of him resented it all; if they had cared, why hadn't they come to see him, at least? Nobody had, and he would have died if it hadn't been for his dad.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to commit Harry Potter to his final resting place. We therefore commit his body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. We can only pray that he is shown the mercy he wasn't given in this life," a wizard said as the cords lowered the coffin until it couldn't go any further. In a way, Harry Potter was dead. He wasn't Harry Potter anymore; he didn't want to be, really. He was very happy being Harrison Regis; he'd even prefer Harrison Snape, since that was his dad's real name.

"Does anyone have anything they would like to say?" the same wizard spoke. "No one?"

"Harry was a beautiful baby, very calm and powerful. He was only days old when he performed his first accidental magic. He summoned his bottle from the fridge; Lily was so proud of him," Harry heard Minerva say; he wanted to know more, and couldn't wait to talk to her properly.

"Harry's first word was 'Mummy;' he loved her a lot. He was definitely a mummy's boy. His second word was Moony; Lily tried to get Harry to call us by our real names, but he wasn't having any of it. He had some Metamorphmagus abilities; he was able to change the length of his hair," Sirius offered next, falling to his knees.

"Some?" Harry echoed, frowning, "Wasn't I always a full Metamorphamagus?" he was confused.

"Yes," Severus replied, having no intentions of telling Harry that his parents, for whatever reason, had bound his gift. He wasn't sure of their motives and never would be; he didn't want Harry going through life with the same question rattling around his mind. "As a baby you wouldn't have had full control." He didn't like lying to him like this, but nobody had to know.

"There are no words ...what can I say?

At last his sweet soul winged its way

To peace and freedom in the sky

Where never again will he suffer or cry.

It's all part of Merlin's great plan ...

Which remains a mystery to man.

We cannot understand His ways

Nor can we count our earthly days.

But who are we to question and doubt?

Merlin knows well what He's about;

He knew he longed to "go to sleep"

Where only angels a vigil keep.

The pain of living grew too great

No longer could he stay and wait;

He did not want to leave you, dear,

But he had finished his work down here.

So he closed his eyes and when he awoke,

These are the words the Master spoke ...

"Welcome, dear child, you are Home at last,

And now the burden of living is past.

There's work for you in My Kingdom,

And you are needed and wanted here."

So weep not, he has just gone on ahead,

Don't think of him as being dead.

He's out of sight for a little while,

And you'll miss his touch and his little smile,

But you know he is safe in the home above

Where there is nothing but Peace and Love.

And, surely, you would not deny him peace ...

And you're glad that he has found release.

Think of him there as a soul that is free,

And Home at last, where he wanted to be."

Harry closed his eyes, a lump growing in his throat, "Dad," he choked out; he didn't want to stay anymore. Luna, sensing his distress, whined softly, butting her head at him; he petted at her softly, reassuring her that he was fine.

"There's a touch of a poet in you, Severus," Talin said, his own voice strained despite the fact that he knew the outcome was favourable.

Severus knelt down beside his son. "Look at them all. You were and are loved, Harry, by everyone. Yes, they never came to see you, but that is only because they trusted and believed in the wrong person. It is not just because you are the Boy-Who-Lived. For some, yes, but most of them are mourning the loss of you, of a child." He didn't want Harry to grow resentful and angry towards the people here ― didn't want Harry to end up like him. So he was here trying to show Harry how loved he was, so he didn't hold resentment towards them. He prayed it worked; he would never forgive himself otherwise.

"I know, dad," Harry admitted, sniffling some as he straightened up.

Severus nodded proudly before he too stood. Watching the remainder of the short funeral, hearing the private words they whispered to the grave of a presumed dead child. One by one everyone quietly disappeared, still mourning, until the last group (Filius, Sirius, Severus, Minerva, Remus, and, of course, Cornelius) left as well. Only those upon the hillside knew that Fudge wasn't part of the proceedings that came next.

"I think it's time," Severus said; there was no more to observe here. His son and his friend nodded, and with that all three figures, as well as his son's familiar, disappeared with a pop, having been completely unobserved, leaving absolutely nothing to indicate that they had been there at all.

* * *

><p><strong>A Few Hours Later…<strong>

Severus let out a shaky breath as he stood at the steps of Gringotts. He was actually doing this; why did he feel like his new life was going to be flushed down the drain? No, he wouldn't allow that to happen. They were going back; why the hell did he feel so anxious about this meeting? Hell, he didn't even feel like this when faced with the Dark Lord; the urge to back out was extremely strong. Yet he refused to give in to it; they had a right to know that Harry was safe, alive, and well.

Still, he couldn't curb the desire to keep his son to himself, as they had been all these years.

As if sensing Severus' inner turmoil, Talin placed a calming hand on his shoulder, letting him know that he wasn't alone, that he had friends, and things would be all right. "Everything will work out." It was new, seeing this unsure side of Severus; he was always so strong ― a solid presence. One he could rely on, especially when he'd lost his wife; Severus had known what to do, how to make him feel better without saying much.

Then just like that, the wizard he was used to snapped back into place.

"Let's go," Severus stated, and the three of them ― including a wolf at Harry's heels ― walked up the marble steps of Gringotts, ready to face what might come.

* * *

><p>Big thanks to Jake and Jordre for editing this<p> 


	43. Chapter 43

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 43**

**The Complete Circle**

* * *

><p>Minerva, Filius, Sirius and Remus watched as an impassive look overcame Severus Snape's features. When they blinked, a docile look quickly replaced it, causing their breaths to hitch. It wasn't a sight they'd ever seen before… or, truthfully, wished to see again. Severus had always been full of fire, even if it was a bitter one. Then just like that, his body had disappeared. They stared uncomprehendingly for a few moments, unable to believe it, their minds whirling with all the possible ramifications of what had happened here today.<p>

Minerva's wand hand was the first to fall, dropping to her side. She found herself breathing raggedly; suddenly each second felt like an eternity. The way the goblins spoke, she had thought perhaps his memories would be transported through time and into his younger self, although admittedly they had suspected he would merge with his younger self. When he did, shouldn't he still be in the room? As she looked around. her heart pounding away like a drum, Minerva whispered brokenly, "Please, please be all right, Severus." They shouldn't have gone through with this; Severus had done it out of guilt and shame. Turning to the others, she saw they were just as much at a loss as she was. "None of my memories have changed… there is no indication that Harry might be alive."

"Aaagh!" Sirius suddenly groaned out in pain, falling to his knees, before he curled up in a foetal position. A memory long Obliviated and forgotten rose to the forefront of his mind. It had been triggered by Minerva's simple words of memories being changed. But he had been an Auror, and was well aware of the fact that memories DIDN'T just come back… once Obliviated, that information was lost forever. The only thing that saved someone from having his memories forcefully taken was if he was an experienced Occlumens, which he might have been before being sentenced to Azkaban. Unfortunately his time there had shredded those abilities, along with his sanity… well, almost. Why could he remember? Unless the intent behind the spell had not been meant for him to be Obliviated, merely to have his memory locked?

"Sirius!" Remus called out in shocked concern, kneeling down beside him. "Are you alright? Do you need a potion?" he asked before belatedly realizing that the Potions Master wasn't here. There would be no getting potions from him. "Sirius?" he urged quietly, concerned when the wizard continued groaning and giving no sign of what was wrong.

"Mr. Black, do you require a healer?" Ragnuk asked, his black eyed shrewd. He showed no concern for the wizard, but that wasn't to say he didn't worry about him ― he was, after all, the Black heir, the only heir to the entire Black estate. That had fallen into disarray during the past however many years, with the deaths of so many of the Blacks. They'd always been quite a large family, even if they had married their own cousins; they'd had many children, albeit only two males in this generation: Regulus and, of course, Sirius, and Regulus was already dead.

"No, I'll be fine," Sirius croaked at last. "It definitely worked,"

"Worked?" Filius squeaked out, looking rather excited; Ragnuk's face might have been impassive still, but his eyes took on an excited gleam.

"I saw him," Sirius whispered. His memory was still foggy, but all his memories were due to Azkaban. "He was helping me." he added with deep incredulity.

"What do you mean?" Remus asked, sighing in relief when Sirius finally sat up, no longer in the foetal position.

"I… a House-elf would bring me food… every day, and potions too, except the last month… I should have guessed," Sirius chuckled bitterly. "I couldn't figure out who the House-elf belonged to; it would never tell me. When it was leaving one day, I grabbed onto it and was brought… somewhere warm. Everything's just a blur, but I knew it was Snape; his magic is very distinctive—that, and even with a glamour on, I'd be able to pick him out of a lineup; he just has this way of standing…his presence."

Surprise flicked through Minerva's eyes. She hadn't been aware that Sirius knew so much about Severus… then again, he had constantly bullied him for seven years at Hogwarts. Whether he realized it or not, he would have had to become very familiar with him. That and their constant magical attacks on each other had caused more than one argument in the staff room.

"What did he do?" Remus asked, looking concerned.

"He Obliviated me, which is why I'm so surprised the memory came back… all I can think is that Snape didn't want to erase the memory… just make me forgot for a while… there's no way he made such a mistake. If he didn't want me to remember, I wouldn't," he said vehemently.

"That we can all agree on," Minerva added into the conversation, her lips twitching. It had worked. "Was Harry with him?"

"No, no, I didn't see much of anything… his reflexes didn't allow for me to see much before I was back in my cell," Sirius admitted ruefully.

Minerva clasped her hand over her chest, relief so profound flowing through her. Severus was alive, he was well… somehow he had gone back in time, and within the time that Sirius was in Azkaban. Which meant that maybe, just maybe, he had successfully saved Harry, too. "Oh, thank Merlin!" she cried in relief. Just moments ago she had been scared witless at the thought of anything happening to him… and so she should be. She felt awful for practically guilt-tripping him into doing this, although it hadn't been intentional. She didn't get her hopes up; she absolutely refused to, just in case Severus had been unable to prevent the boy's death.

"So what do we do now?" Remus questioned softly, staring at the others in the room.

"Now we wait," Ragnuk said. It was truly up to the wizard if he wished to announce his return; the fact he now had proof of its working was enough for him. He couldn't deny he had so many questions regarding Snape's experience through time; perhaps he could write a letter, if nothing else.

"Come on, Sirius," Remus said, helping his best friend get back to his feet. He had just spent years in Azkaban; he needed to recover, and he couldn't do that on the cold marble floor of Gringotts. "We need some rest," he added, sighing softly; it had been a very emotional couple of days. Their emotions had gone from one extreme to the other, leaving them all exhausted, no doubt ― and it didn't help him either, since he was still recovering from the last full moon. Admittedly, Severus' potions had helped a great deal.

"I can't leave!" Sirius protested; the very idea made him dig his feet into his shoes in anger.

"We have to," Remus argued. "We have no idea if or when Severus will show up! We know nothing, Siri, absolutely nothing. He might send a letter, he might go to Minerva… hell, and Harry might already be in Hogwarts under a different name. Did you even think of that?"

Sirius stared, struck dumb. "Er… well, no, not really," Sirius admitted, scratching the back of his head, "Minerva… did you call forth anyone that was… unfamiliar?"

Minerva stared at Black as if he had just asked the most stupid question she'd ever been asked during the duration of her tenure as a teacher. Wait; as a matter of fact, he just had. "A great many of the students admitted to Hogwarts are Muggle-born, Mr. Black; please use your head before you come out with such idiotic things."

"Right, sorry," Sirius admitted sheepishly, a blush crawling up his face. Now that he thought about it, he realized it was sort of silly. She was a teacher, but that didn't mean she knew everyone that was attending, just as she hadn't known even him when he'd been attending, just his last name. Although he would have loved to have seen her face when his House had been called out. Had she been as surprised as everyone else, or had her composure been just as good back then? Questions he doubted he'd ever have the answer to… damn it, his mind was wandering.

"Well, we cannot remain here," Minerva stated. Gringotts was open twenty-four hours a day, but it didn't mean they could just stay here waiting for Severus to show up ― if he ever did. "I suggest we head home, and wait."

Remus nodded; it had been his plan anyway. "Until we find out the state of your flat, you can come to the cottage with me," Remus told Sirius softly. They had a lot to get through, both having thought each other guilty. It truly wasn't fair in the slightest, but he was sure they could get over it.

"Cottage" was a generous word for Remus' home; it was nothing like Sirius was used to before Azkaban… but he liked to think that, compared to the prison, it was somewhere he would be content. Warm, cosy, just them and the wild animals that roamed the woods for miles around, surviving as they always did.

"I hope it survived," Sirius admitted in a small voice. Everything he owned was in that flat; things that could never be replaced. Things he'd received from Mr. and Mrs. Potter, Harry's grandparents; birthday and Christmas presents he'd gotten from Remus and James, as well as the slew of girlfriends he'd had—although he also still had stuff from Pettigrew that he would gleefully burn to the pits of hell as if they were the wizard himself. The thought of it all being gone was enough to make him, a grown man, burst into tears of rage and sorrow.

"We'll find out," Remus said strongly, already feeling better than he had in a decade. He always felt more confident, happy, and strong with his pack, even if he only had one member left. Sniffing curiously, his hand slipped from Sirius' shoulder as he continued to sniff in a manner reminiscent of a dog, making everyone in the room look at him strangely.

"Remus?" Sirius queried, more used to his friend's behaviour than his teachers were. When in public, he never ever gave anything away that might scream "werewolf," or even "different." In private, though, once they had known, it had amused them all the way Remus had acted sometimes.

Remus was wrenched out of his investigation, flushing slightly at the look on everyone's faces; he hadn't done that in a long time. "I could have sworn…" he muttered to himself.

"What?" Sirius asked.

"Well… I thought I could smell wolf, but that's not possible," Remus brushed it off, denying that his own senses were right.

"You're never wrong," Sirius scoffed at the idea. Remus' sense of smell was amazing, especially just before and after the full moon. He and James had had fun putting things under Remus' nose to sniff out and see if he was right just after they learned. They'd tried to make it as hard as possible, but he'd always known; he'd never once been wrong.

"Follow me," Ragnuk said, moving towards the door. There was nothing more to be done here today. Clicking his fingers, he unsealed the door, and found another goblin waiting for him. In its hands was a large folder with the date and time stamped onto it. A delayed letter, which had been written December 24th 1982. A feral smirk crossed his face; he had a good idea what was contained in this folder.

"Thank you, Tarek," Ragnuk said, nodding his head.

Tarek bowed low before disappearing once more, having done his duty. He had known that Severus Snape was going back today, and had had to wait to give his report until this time. It concerned the money he had given the time-traveller and the fact that his accounts would need to be "corrected" to add them, now that the paradox was complete. Also added was everything that had been said that day before Severus had left to do what he must.

"This is where I leave you; the guards will see you out." Ragnuk gestured for the security goblins to do just that. They were further back than people were usually allowed to get within Gringotts, with the rare exception of anyone trying to steal from them. Still, despite as much as they had seen, he didn't trust them much; wizards had screwed them over more than they could tolerate. Unlike the humans, the goblins learned from their mistakes, and had never trusted humans again. He watched them leave, before turning around and heading straight for his office, wishing to see the documents within the folder, excitement thrumming through him.

* * *

><p>"Oh, I can't wait to see if he's truly all right," Minerva sighed as they moved through the main offices, following the goblins. That, and she wanted to see Harry with her own eyes, if Severus had succeeded. But if she knew anything about the wizard… it was indeed that he never failed to come through, no matter the price. He was powerful, extremely smart, and rather ingenious, traits that he rarely showed to the world. It was a damn shame; she deduced it had something to do with Lord Voldemort's getting his claws into him that had shaved away at his enthusiasm for magic and brewing. "I must get to my office; I want to send him a letter."<p>

"No need," Filius squeaked, gawping at something in a very uncharacteristic manner in the main banking floor of Gringotts. He couldn't believe his eyes, and his eyes were sharper than the usual wizard's, due to his goblin blood. Creatures always had the better ability to see.

"What is it?" Minerva asked, staring down at the duelling champion in confusion. What was wrong with him?

"They're here," Filius breathed, greedily taking in the sight of the child next to Severus, knowing without a doubt that this was Harry even if he looked different. He was Severus' double… with a few obvious exceptions, of course. He wasn't wearing a single glamour; if he hadn't known Lily as he did, he would have wondered if she had strayed.

"Merlin," Minerva breathed, awestruck at the changes in Severus, whom she had known since he'd been eleven years old. She was tempted to believe she was simply mistaken, because this person was very different from all she knew. His skin, his hair… he was thrumming with a vibrancy that she had never seen before.

"HARR…OUCH! Minerva!" Sirius whined as he was yanked violently by the frail-looking woman ― something he wouldn't have thought her capable of. "Why did you do that?" he asked, facing her, rubbing at the affected area― she'd dug her nails in, too.

"Are you forgetting who we just supposedly buried?" Minerva hissed quietly into his ear, leaning into him furiously. "If you raise your voice shouting and hugging someone with that name, they might draw the right conclusion! It is up to him if he decides he wants everyone to know." This afforded him the best protection should Lord Voldemort rise again ― and he would, according to Dumbledore… but they weren't sure if they could believe everything he said. Still, just in case it was true… well, precautions should be taken.

Sirius paled. He hadn't thought of that at all, but he did nod at Minerva, who then let him go again.

"It was a silly move to make," Remus stated, but his attention was on the wolf, who was staring right back at him. It was sensing the animal within him, but not trusting him as it would any other wolf. They were pack animals, and they gravitated towards one another. Wolves didn't like being alone; it was torture to them, and they had a higher survival rate because they did everything together as a pack.

"Shut up," Sirius grouched tetchily, but without real anger.

"Minerva, it's nice to see you again," Severus said smoothly, as the trio plus wolf stood in front of them. "I think we are best to take this to a more… private setting, don't you?" He was staring mostly at Sirius as he said this, making it obvious why such privacy would be necessary. He had heard his words, and could see him struggling not to say anything even now.

"Hogwarts is out of the question; perhaps a private room in the Leaky Cauldron?" Filius suggested. He was rather hungry, and after everything they'd seen and done in the past hour, he rather wanted a drink.

"Indeed," Severus replied. "Let's go." Turning, the three wizards left quickly, the wolf hot on Harry's heels; it took a few seconds for the others to follow.

* * *

><p>As soon as everyone was in the room, Sirius wasted no time in running over to his godson and hugging him tightly, a sob breaking through his pursed lips, taking nothing else or anyone else into consideration. Tears ran down his face. He had been through quite an emotional wringer the past few days, so it shouldn't have surprised anyone that he couldn't contain it any longer. Luna growled softly, sensing Harry's unease.<p>

"Dad!" Harry said, feeling extremely suffocated and awkward. It wasn't every day strangers did this to him, after all. Despite the fact that he had been told about Sirius and knew things about him, it didn't make this situation any easier. That one word made Sirius tense up.

"Black, let him go," Severus warned, after finishing putting up every safety measure in the room. "Give him time," he added so that Sirius didn't feel as if his godson were being taken away from him.

"Oh, Severus! I'm so glad you're all right!" Minerva said, wanting nothing more than to hug the wizard to show him how much she cared ― but she knew he would never accept any sort of physical affection.

"I am well, Minerva; it's good to see you," Severus added, a small smile on his face. It had been a long time since he'd seen someone from his old life.

"He's calling you 'dad'?" Sirius said, letting go and staring at his godson, who looked like Severus' double.

"I have had him since he was a toddler," Severus replied, "and I adopted him," he added, deciding to let it all out at once instead of slowly breaking it to him. He idly noticed that Luna and Remus were once again eyeing each other in distrust; he was pretty sure there was possessiveness on Luna's part. Luna had, for most part, been the only animal in Harry's life; while he did play with the others outside, Luna was always his. "I think introductions are in order," Severus said, belatedly realizing that Talin was observing everything in a quiet, intrigued fashion.

"Minerva, Remus, Sirius, Filius, this is Talin Addison, Headmaster of the Grand Riviere Magical School, and a close personal friend. Talin, this is Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and Professor of Transfiguration, in which she gained her mastery, and Head of Gryffindor House at Hogwarts," Severus did the introductions.

"Very nice to meet you," Minerva said, twitching in surprise. Severus didn't usually have people he freely called friends, merely acquaintances; it seemed much had changed. Minerva couldn't help but notice that this man looked a great deal like a wizard who had graduated Hogwarts a few years back: Kingsley Shacklebolt, but obviously older.

"You also; Severus has spoken a great deal of you," Talin said, his smile teasing, watching Severus roll his eyes out of the corner of his eyes.

"This is Filius Flitwick, Master dueller, professor of Charms, in which he also gained his Mastery, as well as Head of Ravenclaw House at Hogwarts," Severus continued on. "This is Remus Lupin, and Sirius Black, who was previously an Auror before his unlawful incarceration at Azkaban prison." Remus notably flushed in embarrassment at the fact he had nothing to his name when the others all had the most amazing feats under their belts. It wasn't as if he wasn't smart enough, he was. Unfortunately, though, he wouldn't be able to keep the fact that he was a werewolf hidden to gain a mastery, and the second they knew, he would be kicked aside. The wizard (he assumed) shook his hand without pause, a small smile on his face as he gave a greeting.

"Are you happy?" Sirius asked Harry, unable to rip his gaze from him.

A knock on the door interrupted them. "That must be the refreshments," Severus stated, moving towards the door and taking the serving tray, then nodded before closing the door behind him. They had already been paid for, with the tip, beforehand. He floated the tray over to the table, and everyone automatically took a seat, even Sirius, although he was quite reluctant. "Help yourselves."

Harry grabbed a Butterbeer and sat next to his dad, leaning against him. He was tired; he hadn't been sleeping well the past few days. When his dad had left after talking to him, Harry had stayed up late, just reading his mum's letter to his dad. He had seen Severus reading it one day, and had asked what it was; he had even given it to him. Harry had protested, knowing how much it meant to him, but his dad had just said he knew it off by heart and no longer needed the comfort it sent, and thought he might like to have it.

Luna immediately lay at Harry's feet, still facing the newcomers.

"So… um… who does the wolf belong to?" Remus asked awkwardly.

"She is Harry's familiar," Severus answered, absently carding his hand through his son's hair. He knew his son hadn't been sleeping well; he might just have to give him a sleeping draught if it continued. "Luna is very protective of him." A vindictive sort of grin appeared on his face.

"Where have you kept Harry? I mean you look… so different. The goblins were wrong, weren't they? You didn't end up in your younger self's body… a golem wouldn't have been able to go back, so you must have been in Gringotts." Minerva asked shrewdly.

"You are correct; I did go back in time, but not into my younger self's body. It was quite a dilemma actually, but the goblins were _kind _enough to ensure I had enough money to last up until time corrected itself," Severus replied wryly. "With the help of the Goblins, I got a new wand and went to Privet Drive to collect Harry, leaving a Golem in his place. Regretfully, I couldn't save Arabella; not only did she not have the magic to harness, but there was also no telling whether she would have believed me. She was, after all, unswayable in her loyalty to Albus."

"It's fascinating. Where have you stayed?" Filius enquired excitedly.

"We stayed in England for a while, over Christmas and New Year, and then I decided it would be best if we left the UK entirely. I got a few pamphlets from Gringotts for schools, and found one that admitted children younger than eleven."

Minerva gasped. "That's rather dangerous, Severus."

"Why is that?" Talin enquired, cocking his head curiously at the woman, his body relaxed.

"Their magical cores aren't ready for such heavy magical use before the age of eleven," Minerva informed him.

"Is that so?" Talin stated, his lips twitching in amusement. "And you have proof of these facts?"

"Well, no," Minerva admitted, "but surely you must agree, by the age of eleven most accidental magic has tapered off, leaving the core stable."

"Have you ever thought that perhaps the accidental magic is a sign that the child's magical core IS, in fact, stable?" Talin replied, enjoying the small debate. "If they began using magic early, there would be no accidental magic, because they were already beginning to control it, giving focus to their cores."

"The course work is much too advanced for such young children; it would exhaust them tremendously," Minerva argued.

"Ah, so you are not giving children enough credit," Talin mused. "Start teaching them young and they will remember it. Who is to say they have to start with difficult spells?"

"They would consider it difficult," Severus interrupted them. "Even I had trouble accepting the reality in front of me."

"You mean to say your school does admit children much earlier?" Minerva gaped.

"What age do they begin training?" Remus enquired curiously, his amber eyes alight with this new knowledge.

Severus smirked as Talin answered, "They begin learning simple spells at the age of four. At the age of five they begin school lessons in both magic and muggle subjects."

Minerva clasped her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide in astonishment and disbelief. Her eyes softened, seeing both Harry and Severus together. Oh, Lily would be so happy right now; this was what she had wanted for her reclusive friend, to be happy, to help raise her son if anything happened to her. Oh, the difference in him in just a matter of an hour, at least to her, was incomprehensible.

"Harry is already at the equivalent of a fifth year at Hogwarts, Not only that, but he could single-handedly beat a seventh-year in a duel," Severus informed them proudly.

"He's had no trouble?" Filius asked, astonished.

"None, and of course he's had summers and holidays to replenish his core. We are behind the times; do you know Grande Riviere is not the only school to accept children before they're eleven?" Severus told them.

"Amazing," Remus said quietly, glancing at Sirius to see how he was holding up. He wasn't.

"Where is Grande Riviere Magical School?" Minerva enquired; she would love to see for herself.

"St. Lucia," Talin was the one that answered. "I have so many questions to ask about Hogwarts and why it's lacking in so many subjects and ways."

"We have just survived through two wars; the funds we have are not extensive, and so classes were cut to accommodate the influx of students who had parents that couldn't afford to pay tuition. We are, quite simply, still trying to rebuild our world," Minerva sighed tiredly.

"So why not get the people involved? Have a fundraiser? Raise the money you need to help get Hogwarts back to normal? Involve the community and parents; it's their children, after all, and they should help, knowing what it's going towards," Harry finally spoke. "Have a fun day, a carnival of sorts, booths with homemade cakes, an animal petting zoo, shows and music, maybe even a fun game of Quidditch and games for both parents and students to play and have fun… then a meal afterwards. The House-elves would be happy to cook and make cakes if you asked them." He was feeling much more confident, enough to speak to them at any rate.

"A carnival?" Filius asked blankly.

"Yes: cakes, sweets, shows, games, prizes," Harry said, giving the Charms teacher a smile, knowing a lot of wizards weren't familiar with a lot of muggle things here. He didn't hold it against them. "They would be paying for them, of course, but you can make it so it isn't too expensive, but enough to help with getting new classes established at Hogwarts, in a way that's fun, that also has the community getting involved. The school belongs to all of them, anyway. Give them enough time to save up for it too, just in case they don't get much allowance."

"I see," Filius replied, glancing at Minerva, and he could see she was actually thinking it through as well.

"Harry isn't going to Hogwarts, is he?" Sirius said bitterly, his eyes filled with sadness.

"Unfortunately, no. I gave Harry the choice, and he chose to stay where he was, where his friends are. You must understand and realize, surely, that to go to Hogwarts would be detrimental to his education," Severus told Black softly, as if trying to soften the blow. "In a few years' time, he has the opportunity to begin subjects that might lead him to something he wants to do ― the introduction to a Mastery of his own choosing."

"I wouldn't be able to play Quidditch, either; you never told me that, dad," Harry added, piping in.

"Quidditch? You play Quidditch?" Sirius perked up for the first time, his eyes wide with happiness.

"I've been playing for years; all the schools get together and compete, and we've won loads of games!" Harry said, grinning widely. "Even if we lose, it's always fun! We get to meet new people."

"What position do you play?" Sirius asked, almost squealing in excitement.

"Chaser and seeker; mostly chaser now, mostly reserve if Jason can't play," Harry informed him.

"Your dad played as well," Sirius said, reverently.

"My father did," Harry corrected him still smiling, "I know, dad told me, he was a chaser for Gryffindor's Quidditch team, and that he was good, and even won the Quidditch cup one year, at least."

"Severus? Did you adopt Harry through that new Potion that came out a few years back?" Minerva enquired. She asked this quietly, letting Sirius and Harry talk, wishing to know more herself about everything that had happened.

"You know about it?" Severus jaw was slightly unhinged.

Harry looked over distractedly, wondering what they were talking about.

"Of course; it was quite popular. It was in the newspaper." Minerva gave Severus an odd look. "It was created by Septimus Regis, if I recall right."

Harry laughed in amusement, "You mean my dad, right?" he interrupted, his conversation with Sirius completely forgotten.

"I'm afraid I don't understand…" Minerva admitted before she closed her eyes and said, "You are Septimus Regis." She felt like laughing herself. "I see your sense of irony hasn't faded with time."

"It is the name I took on. Officially, Harry is called Harrison Regis; the papers at Gringotts are foolproof," Severus replied, looking pensive, "Now, however, I have no idea what to do."

"There is no denying how much safer you both will be keeping those names," Minerva mused. "If Albus isn't deluded and HE comes back, he will never find either of you. Although the Mark is a concern, and won't allow you to hide fully; at least Harry will be one hundred percent safe." She was carefully not saying too much in case Harry didn't know about that particular part of Severus' life.

"They will always be safe in St. Lucia," Talin said, assuring them. He wouldn't allow anything to happen to them; he cared very much about both father and son.

"You look different enough that you might pass for a relative, perhaps a child of the Prince line?" Filius mused, "You don't look a day over twenty-two!" It was true, and with his tan he looked very healthy, nothing like the Severus Snape they had known. Although Filius doubted Voldemort's reach would ever extend as far as St. Lucia; he was powerful, but powerful enough to feel the Dark Mark so far away?

"There is no fear of the Mark being used to find my location," Severus admitted. "When I first went back, I went back looking like my older self. The first thing I did was take a de-aging potion. It was something I thought I would have to do, then go back to Hogwarts, but I quickly learnt that that wasn't the case. The thought persisted, and eventually I did take it; it was a new start for myself and Harry…"

"That, I fully understand," Remus said, a small smile on his face, although it looked more like a grimace. He would do anything for a fresh start himself.

"When I grew to the age where I had first accepted the Mark… it did not reappear," Severus dropped the bombshell on them, temporarily letting go of Harry and rolling up the sleeves of his clothes, showing his unmarked arm for all too see.

* * *

><p>Edited by Jake and Jordre thanks so much guys<p> 


	44. Chapter 44

**Fixing Past Mistakes**

**Chapter 44**

* * *

><p>Filius squeaked in astonishment, staring at the unmarked forearm utterly astonished, his eyes popping out comically. Minerva opened and closed her mouth wordlessly; she wasn't sure how much more she could take in regards to surprises this day couldn't get anymore surreal. She did have enough thought to observe Remus and Sirius' reaction and it caused her lips to twitch, their mouths gaping jaws unhinged. And if she didn't know any better she would have said the wolf at Harry's feet was amused by the scene in front of her.<p>

"If anyone deserves this second chance, Severus, then it's you." Filius informed the younger than usual wizard proudly.

"You speak of second chances as if nobody else in life has ever made a mistake," Talin stated, eyeing them shrewdly. "One of your own nearly killed a fellow student and in probability a good friend, unless of course the Headmaster would have covered it up. You do not speak to him of second chances despite this occurrence. It is not a second chance, it's simply life, and you live and learn. Severus wasn't that much older than Mr. Black when this all went down, he was a young teenager, and we all make mistakes at that age especially with what life threw at him." feeling irked by their constant pronouncements of second chances, they were using it wrongly, it may just be his opinion and he wanted his thoughts known. Especially considering Severus was agreeing with it, they were weighing him down with guilt and he could see it straining Severus already and he wasn't happy with that at all. He was certainly gladder he had chosen to come than ever. Although he was pretty sure if it had continued Harry would have said something. Harry worshiped his father, and would defend him with his life. The devotion had never waved even after all these years.

"That wasn't…" Filius started indignantly but was cut off abruptly.

"Enough, I do not any arguing, this is not why I came here," Severus stated, sensing the looming arguments. He was certainly glad he had told Harry everything about his past, and that he didn't hold him responsible for it. That and this conversation they were having would have raised questions.

"My apologies," Talin said in his usual deep voice, dipping his head conceding the point.

"I am sorry as well," Filius graciously said, realizing that Talin Adison was just protecting Severus, he was a good friend and perhaps they shouldn't be bringing up the past quite so much.

"So…up to fifth year curriculum huh?" Remus said, breaking the stilted silence.

"Well its sixth year equivalent dad says," Harry corrected him with a grin. "I still find it hard to believe I'm so far ahead of everyone here though."

"Yes, it is somewhat baffling even for me, who has known for quite a few years now," Talin commented, "If it isn't any trouble I would like to know more about Hogwarts and its curriculum on a whole?"

"Of course," both the Hogwarts teachers replied at once, as always eager to talk about their careers, which unfortunately was not as prideful now they knew that compared to this wizards school they were quite behind. Yet it didn't diminish it completely, they were proud of what they had achieved, and nothing could destroy it completely not even the Headmaster.

"But first, how is Dumbledore?" Severus enquired, getting to the root of the problem, leaning forward as if to better hear them.

"Not much time has passed since the other you left," Minerva informed him, "We've not returned to Hogwarts either he's still in the same critical condition. If he had passed or gotten worse Poppy would have sent a message through her patronus. So we can assume that his condition is much the same as it was hours prior."

"That means he can't get to us right, and he wont before we go home?" Harry asked, already knowing the answer but seeking reassurances. He didn't know much about Dumbledore, but if his dad was scared and wary of him then it made him feel the same. His dad wasn't scared of many things, it's why he respected and looked up to him - wanted to be just like him when he grew up.

"Yes, Harry, don't worry," Severus said softly, "Nothing and I mean nothing will happen." Dumbledore was much too sick for anything of the sort. Even if he somehow learned of their arrival here, then it wouldn't be worth squat when he couldn't move too ill.

"When are you going home?" Sirius asked his tone subdued. Once again reminded that Harry's appearance here was merely temporarily. He didn't want Harry to go; he wanted him to stay, so they could get to know each other. This was his godson, he hated the fact he would be going so far away from him. He'd been separated for years, literally had his godson taken from his arms on Dumbledore's orders and he hadn't seen him until now and it wasn't how he'd imagined it would go.

"We cannot risk staying too long, we will return in future if it's what Harry wants," Severus informed them.

"Why? Nobody has to know its Harry! Even the scar he had on his forehead is gone!" Sirius protested heavily. "He could stay here, where he belongs!" 'With me' was certainly not said but definitely thought and implied in that statement.

"Because I don't want to stay here, I want to go home to my friends, to a school where I wont end up seen as some sort of freakish genius…I'm sorry but I'm not going to relearn how to brew basic potions…how to disarm my opponent I've known that spell since I was six years old. Right now I want to concentrate on Alchemy and Ancient Runes. More importantly I want to keep leading my Quidditch team to do the best they can. I can't just drop everything…my life for you, I don't know you and I'm sorry if it hurts but the fact you want me to give up everything isn't exactly endearing me to you." Harry told him shaking his head in disbelief.

Minerva pursed her lips, by Merlin it was so very odd see an eleven year old sounding so much like Severus. It was like a double sitting before him, not just in looks but attitude as well, although she had to admit he wasn't quite as rude as Severus could be. She saw Filius giving her a look and her lips twitched just slightly, knowing he was probably having similar flashbacks as her.

Remus wanted to groan, Sirius was being his usual thoughtless self, not really meaning anything or thinking it through. He was giving Harry all the wrong impressions of him; truth was Sirius would be happy as long as Harry was happy. He was just feeling a little let down, hurt that Harry wasn't staying, but it was coming out very twisted as per usual for Sirius. He prayed that Sirius would explain himself before Harry was put off forever.

"I…I didn't mean it like that," Sirius protested, blinking owlishly at his godson as if he couldn't understand half the words that had come out of his mouth. "I just…I thought you'd want to move here, your parents attended Hogwarts and generations of Potter's before you…it's a legacy…your legacy."

"Sirius, stop before you dig yourself any deeper," Remus hissed under his breath, in trying to explain himself he was just making it ten times worse.

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose, as his other hand dug into his left temple a sure sign of deep annoyance. While he understood Black's desire to have his godson with him, he would never let Harry go. He was his son, and he'd be damned if he let Black try to emotionally blackmail Harry.

"I might have been born a Potter, but I am not one, not anymore." Harry corrected him, his still black eyes boring into Sirius' with sympathy and hardened determination. "I'm a Snape by blood and Regis by choice. It's not that I don't care about my parents, I do, but they aren't here for me and I like to think they're happy that I am."

"And they are," Minerva said, "Lily was so proud of you and every milestone you passed, big or small."

"And my father worked as an Auror, my mum planned on gaining her Mastery in a few years after I grew up a little, if the war was over." Harry said a small smile playing on his face. It didn't hurt to think about them, his dad had been telling him stories as far back as he could remember. Good tales and it let him know them despite the fact he hadn't been raised by them.

"That she did," Filius nodded, not surprised that Harry knew everything there was to know about his parents. Severus wasn't one for lying, ironically enough since he had been a spy, but he told you how it was and that was it.

* * *

><p>Their talks lasted well into the afternoon; Minerva, Filius and Talin were immersed in debates about magical cores and whether it was damaging. Of course Talin was able to reply to each and every concern, that the wizards and witches from his school didn't have any issues, lived extraordinary long lives with many accomplishments under their belts just like some of those from Hogwarts did. That many of his students today had grandparents that still lived who also attended the school while his grandfather ran it. This had surprised them of course, a family run school, they'd never heard of such a thing. Talin had two sons, and he would never force either of them to take over from him, but if they did he would be proud of them just as he would be with whatever career they took on. He hadn't once put pressure on them like his own father had.<p>

Remus on the other hand was quietly conversing with Harry about his life while Sirius sat quietly and listened probably for the first time in his life not wishing to be the centre of attention. Sirius seemed to realize he had gone a bit too far, and was quietly stewing in what to do to make this better. Unfortunately for him he couldn't come up with a single idea. Which did depress him utterly, he was losing his godson and there was nothing he could do about it.

"You said you were taking Alchemy?" Remus enquired, not able to hide his awe. He was glad he was at least able to talk to Harry; the others were all talking about Hogwarts. He was able to hear everything thanks to his super hearing.

"Yeah, its really difficult, only a few of my friends are taking it, neither of my best friends are, I wish they would but they're concentrating on other subjects they decided to take, ancient runes and Arithmancy." Harry replied. As well as a few other subjects, although Latin wasn't one of them he thought with amusement.

"What are your best friends like?" Remus then asked.

"My best friends are Josh and Dylan, they're in nearly all the same classes as me, we've been friends forever," Harry said, exaggerating a little obviously. "We play Quidditch Dylan and Josh are Beaters, I play both Seeker and a chaser, mostly chaser these days though, I'm better at it than catching the snitch."

"But alchemy? You're eleven!" Sirius actually managed to speak for the first time in half an hour.

"I know how old I am," Harry said, staring blankly. "I'm only beginning, but I'm really good at potions and Alchemy is just a step up from that. A large step, it's really difficult to understand but my teacher helps make sense of it in ways I didn't think to see it."

"I only know rudimentary understanding myself," Remus nodded his agreement. "I got curious the last year of Hogwarts. I was seventeen, read a few books from your father's library - Hogwarts curiously didn't have anything pertaining to Alchemy despite the fact it used to be a subject."

"But what do people do if they wanted to learn it? I can't imagine learning it on my own…even older, dad struggled to understand it and he's really smart." Harry told him.

"Yes, it's a subject that not many people have the smarts to take," Remus, "I only know of a few scholars that have been successful in their knowledge of Alchemy. Dumbledore is one of them and the most successful too."

"Wait he learned Alchemy…from Hogwarts I assume?" Harry asked surprised.

"Yes," Remus confirmed.

"So why would he cut the class completely? It makes no sense…nothing here makes sense!" Harry snapped, he just wanted to go back home this was just…incomprehensible to him. He didn't like things that made no sense to him.

"Don't try to understand, Harry, everyone here is trying to but…it's impossible." Remus said softly. "It's newer to us than to your dad and you."

"Me? Dad only told me a few weeks ago," Harry said shaking his head, "When he knew he had no other choice with us having to come back, even only for a little while." he understood and accepted most of it, although it had taken time, he was still struggling a little to come to terms with everything.

"Oh," Remus murmured surprised.

"And you still want to go back?" Sirius argued.

Luna growled, baring her teeth at the tone of voice Sirius was using.

"I don't understand…" Harry said perplexed, frowning at his so called godfather. Petting at Luna calming her down, she immediately settled for him still eyeing Sirius Black with intent.

Remus threw a glare at Sirius, what the hell was wrong with him? Just a while ago he had been grieving, thinking he'd never see his godson again only to realize there was a chance. A chance to know him, and he had been so relieved so hopeful…now he was deliberately trying to wind everyone up? Freezing in realisation, he wanted to curse, he was trying to push Harry away on purpose, because he'd rather push him away than have Harry pull away from him - sort of like Harry choosing Severus over Sirius in his mind it was soul crushing probably. "Sirius…don't do this, don't push him away, you'll regret it forever." his voice was louder than necessary he realized, as the room went deadly quiet.

"I think its time we dispersed." Severus commanded, Luna immediately scrambled up but remained beside Harry.

"I wouldn't mind continuing to chat with Minerva and Filius if you don't mind, Severus," Talin said.

"Of course, you know where to find us," Severus replied, "Come Harry, let's give them time to sort through everything they've learned today,"

"Will we see you again before you leave? Both of you?" Minerva enquired.

"You will, we'll meet again before we leave back to St. Lucia," Severus confirmed. "So need for maudlin goodbyes just yet." a wicked chuckle leaving his lips.

Harry sniggered behind his hand, a broad grin on his face which he was able to conceal. Glancing down when Luna brushed up against him, she'd been really good today, only got protective once - and in a strange environment it was a surprise really. Despite the food he'd eaten a few hours ago, he realized he was hungry and rather tired if he was honest.

"If anything happens with Dumbledore, let me know." Severus urged the teachers, as he wrapped his arms around Harry, Luna came between them, and both took a grip of her Collar she was used to Apparating now, having done it all of three or four times. Then he Apparated them all away without a single word or glance at either Lupin or Black, he'd had quite enough of them for today.

The three of them appeared in the empty house they'd once lived in for a few months before moving to St. Lucia.

"Are you going to miss it here, Dad?" Harry asked, staring at Severus his black eyes inquisitive as always. He had seen his dad was quite happy to talk to them, and his dad didn't tolerate many people - well, he didn't used to - he wasn't quite so picky now. He could remember when he was younger after all.

"I will miss some aspects of it, Harry, I spent many years in the British Isles, certainly my fair share, but my home is now in St. Lucia, and I would never give that up with the exception of you wishing to move here." Severus replied, he would do anything and he meant absolutely anything for Harry.

"You'll miss your friends," Harry said knowing what it was without his dad having to say.

"Colleagues," Severus corrected him, but it was half-hearted at best.

"What is wrong with Sirius? You didn't say he would act like that," Harry complained, still confused about his actions. Sitting down on one of the few available chairs that had been conjured.

"I did not think he would," Severus stated honestly, kneeling down beside his son. Avoiding Luna's legs so she didn't end up hurt - she was still slightly disorientated from the Apparation. "He's upset, hurt, confused...he won't know what to do with these feelings Harry, he has been in Azkaban for a long time - he does love you in his own way. He expects you to go and live with him. That you would want to, we haven't gotten on in the past and I think he believes I've been...a harsh guardian." that he would have his best friend back, and he could restart his antics and turn Harry into a miniature version of James when he was young. Let him run ragged and ruin his academic achievements.

"He won't come around before I go will he?" Harry asked resignedly.

"If the past is any indication...perhaps not, but Remus Lupin is quite determined and might manage to get through to him. He will come around though, Harry, do not worry, I'm sure sometime in the future he will regale you with tales of your father." Severus informed him, giving his arm a squeeze.

"I don't want him to, I just want him to see me for me," Harry argued vehemently. He had seen how interested Sirius got when he mentioned Quidditch which was followed by a statement that his father had done it too. He had also seen his face when he realized that he had called Severus his dad. Hopefully his dad was right; he wanted to know Sirius, but not enough to give up his entire life though.

Things had gotten so complicated, sometimes he wished he could go back a few weeks and just make sure he never learned about it. Fortunately his dad hadn't raised him to hide from his troubles but rather face them head on and come out stronger and better than ever before. His school work would help him concentrate; he just had to get back to normal that would surely help. He couldn't wait for tomorrow, when they would go home. Things hadn't gone the way he thought they would. The first half of the conversation had been good, his chat with Remus had been okay, it was just the middle and end that had set him on edge.

"You look exhausted, get some sleep while I make us some dinner," Severus stated, not having anything to say about Harry's statement. He wasn't sure if Sirius would ever see Harry as himself totally or if he would always think of certain things of James in Harry. This trip hadn't been easy for him, seeing everyone grieving over him, especially his younger self, of course it wasn't easy. Standing up he moved over to the kitchen and began to prepare dinner with the supplies he'd gotten earlier.

"I think I will," Harry agreed, nodding his head, moving to the couch he curled up and closed his eyes to the familiar sound of his dad making dinner, and Luna's padding feet and body slumping on the floor beside him.

* * *

><p>Well as always things never go as planned...Will Sirius get his head out of his butt and realize this doesn't need to be him losing Harry? Will he ask to go? will we see Sirius and Remus starting a new life in St. Lucia? to be closer to Harry? Or will we only see them every summer? Do you really want to see Harry defeat Voldemort in this? With Harry being as smart it would be a rather different approach to defeating him...and I truly believe Harry would have flourished better if he had been encouraged he was just lazy since he didn't have anyone that gave a hoot about his grades. R&amp;R please<p> 


	45. Chapter 45

Fixing Past Mistakes

Chapter 45

* * *

><p>Severus, Talin and Harry waited on Minerva, Filius, Sirius and Remus just outside the property that Severus and the others had been using temporarily. Nothing could actually get in the wards, hence the decision to wait outside. Luna of course, was right next to Harry and Severus eating the remains of her dinner - which was just the bone the meat had been eaten already, which wouldn't be going with them when they returned to St. Lucia. They were wrapped up warm, since it was on the chilly side, which was the norm for Britain even at this time of the year. Not even a few minutes' later pops penetrated the area, as the others Apparated to the agreed meeting place.<p>

"Good evening," Minerva said giving a small smile, as she wandered over to the group and handed Severus a brown envelope. "I think you'll be glad to see this."

Severus gave her a curious look before accepting the envelope and opening it, sliding the documents out to inspect them. He found his services at Hogwarts terminated, an agreed retirement from tenure Potions Professor at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It went on to thank him for his services, but Severus did not need to read any more he was just content he couldn't be pulled back when Dumbledore realized he was no longer there. It could have happened, and if he had defied the contract he could have ended up paying fines or worse a short stint in Azkaban. Contracts in the magical world had to be adhered to otherwise the consequences were extremely nasty.

"You have been elevated to the position of Headmistress?" Severus asked surprised, "I assume his condition has deteriorated?"

"I have, and no, not quite, with Hogwarts starting back up and no known when he will recover the Ministry demanded I step up and Hogwarts accepted all too easily. He's being transferred to St. Mungo's where there are experts in his cases to help him." Minerva informed Severus, "I knew you were worried about that so the first thing I did was break the contract. I will miss working with you, Severus, and your sense of humour." she added teasingly.

"Just make sure my Slytherins are looked after," Severus asked quietly, a far away look on his face, this was probably by far the most difficult thing right now. His Slytherins needed someone, and hopefully they would get someone who could help them. They might put on an unbothered front but the fact most of Hogwarts didn't trust them did hurt a great deal. They had only each other to rely on; it had been the same in his time, but between himself and Lily they'd gone five years before the house rivalry and his own stupidity had screwed things up.

"I'll do the best I can for them, you know that," Minerva said, she might like to win the Quidditch cup or the House cup but she did not favour any students, if they were found doing something wrong she would tell them off regardless of their houses. In fact she was tougher on her Gryffindors just to prove that she wasn't going to play favourites and that trying to do so would result in nothing. "I was thinking of Silvanus or Aurora as Head of Slytherin house."

"Do not use Silvanus, he's a Hufflepuff, he will not understand my snakes, in fact I suspect he was meant originally for Gryffindor with his antics." Severus warned, the man had absolutely no sense of self preservation, he'd lost quite a few of his limbs already, the Slytherin's would take the rest of them and laugh about it - no, the world was safer if he didn't try and guide his Slytherins.

"Then Aurora?" Minerva suggested.

"Depends on whom you hire as a Potions Master," Severus admitted wryly, "Not that its any of my business I just want the Slytherin's to feel a little less tense at the changes, they're not going to be happy but they'll deal with it in their usual fashion." they would stick together, keep a united front and look out for one another especially in a time of need.

"As is a teachers duty," Talin nodded his agreement with the words, nothing was more important than the safety and growth of each and every individual that attended school, its why they were kept a very close eye on them all, to make sure they're fitting in, doing the work, able to do the work without it being too much for them and ensuring they had fun activities to go along with the workload without it costing too much for the parents.

"Don't you worry about them; I'll keep you up to date on their progress." Minerva promised Severus solemnly, which would be quite soon.

"Can I er…speak to Harry? In private?" Sirius asked after a few moments of amicable silence.

"He is right there, Harry can decide for himself," Severus informed Sirius, more amused than annoyed.

"Er…right, can I talk to you, please?" Sirius asked, looking extremely constipated.

"Sure," Harry replied, blinking as Sirius turned around and walked away, Harry followed him, as always his permanent shadow came with him.

"Look…I'm sorry about earlier, I just…I need time to adjust," Sirius admitted, finding it weird trying to talk to Harry as though he was an adult like Remus suggested, he was a kid, he shouldn't be told about all his crap. "You are my godson, I love you, and I hope that we can write to each other at least?"

"You can," Harry nodded, giving Sirius a chance - like his dad said he just needed to process everything. Maybe one day they could get to know each other like they should have if Sirius hadn't been put in Azkaban. He felt sorry for what he'd been through but he'd never regret his dad. "Although it might exhaust an owl having to go back and forth so much maybe we should think of something else to communicate."

"I've already thought of that," Sirius informed him sheepishly, "I brought a few things, they belong to your dad and me."

"My father, James is my father, my dad is Sep-Severus," Harry insisted.

"Right, sorry, just used to you calling him dad when you were a child," Sirius murmured apologetically, "They belong to your father and I, they're obviously shrunken down." he handed over the bag. "Keep it." he added.

Harry opened it and peered inside the bag, finding a miniature motorbike with a side car, "Is this…" he didn't get a chance to finish before Sirius was talking again.

"It's a real motorbike, it has had a few adjustments made over the years," Sirius winked playfully at Harry. "It's noisy so make sure to take it a few miles before trying it out."

"Dad would never let me ride this," Harry said shaking his head ruefully, but he would keep it - it had belonged to his father after all.

"Who says he has to know?" Sirius said teasingly.

Harry blinked at Sirius, was he suggesting he do it without permission and get himself into trouble? He'd rather not be grounded and stopped from seeing his friends, or having to come straight home from school and not play with his friends in after school classes or any Quidditch game that is after hours too. Why would he want him to get into trouble? It didn't make any sense. Before he could think further on it though, Sirius was speaking again.

"That's a mirror, a two-way mirror," Sirius said picking up another item in the bag. "It's used for communicating, just say my name into it, and after a few minutes I should appear. It will make noises so I'll know you want to talk, we've never tested the limit between them though, farthest away we used them was in Hogwarts so it might not work." the thought of them not though was disheartening. "I've added my Floo address to the back of the packaging so watch when you're opening it, it's just in case the mirrors don't work."

"Awesome!" Harry said grinning widely, "I have to do that with a few of my own! My friends are going to love this!"

"I can help!" Sirius said just as excited as Harry was, "I'll tell you all the charms that are on it,"

"Dad too!" Harry said his face alight in a cheeky grin. He couldn't wait to share this with his best friends, they were going to explode! He was definitely going to be raiding the library at home and at school.

"Your dad too," Sirius said managing to keep his tone neutral. He had to remind himself that Snape had been in Harry's life all this time, of course Harry was going to be attached to him. He had obviously been raised well; he could at least acknowledge that. "There's also some letters in the bag too, you know, from your mum and father to me, when you were younger, there's only a few but I thought you'd like them." surely a child would love anything of its parents especially if they didn't get to know them. He'd made sure they were suitable though, and that James wasn't seen as immature or stupid.

"Thanks," Harry said keeping them close; they would go straight beside the ones his dad had given him.

"Did S- your father explain about Pettigrew?" Sirius asked softly, as if he was not sure whether Harry could deal with the conversation.

"Peter Pettigrew, yes," Harry said quietly, nodding his head briefly, petting at Luna as she nudged him.

"Well that's the marked out name you'll find in the letters," Sirius said too angry thinking about Pettigrew to be sheepish at what he'd done.

"You actually spent time scrubbing out the name each time it was mentioned in a letter from my parents?" Harry asked feeling a little incredulous at his actions. He had to remind himself he wasn't really dealing with someone his dads age, but really someone much younger.

"Well he wasn't mentioned too many times," Sirius said misinterpreting Harry's facial expressions.

"Okay," Harry said, he was through with this part of the conversation.

"There are a few other things in there that belonged to your father and mum, it was a few of their favourite things." Sirius informed him, "I really am sorry about earlier, I just got over excited and let me imagination run away with me, I'll definitely want to see your friends as well!" he wanted to make sure they were good enough for his godson.

"Thank you," Harry said sincerely, smiling up at him. He missed his parents, there was no getting around that, but he missed them because he knew a lot about them, his dad always regaled him with tales about them. They were smart just like him and his dad. He'd never regret his dad though, how could he when he was the only love (fatherly) he'd ever known?

"If you ever change your mind and would like to come here, just you let me know," Sirius pointed out honestly, "Or maybe one day I'll come and visit you." he added hastily correctly interpreting the look on his face this time - he should be able to since it was a look he was used to Severus Snape supporting when they were teens.

"Thanks, Sirius," Harry said putting it all neatly back in the bag, the motorbike would go well with the rest of his figure collection, despite the fact he didn't collect them so rigorously anymore. He was growing up, he had other interests now, but out of sheer habit he sometimes nostalgically bought one that he didn't have. Who knows it might be worth a lot of money one day.

"You're welcome kiddo," Sirius said giving him a beaming smile, it hadn't been as difficult as he thought, maybe Remus had been right all along.

"Harry we have to go," Severus called over, the Portkey was due to leave any second and it didn't wait on them, if they didn't go now they'd have to wait on a new Portkey being sent from St. Lucia, something Severus didn't want to happen, he wanted to get away before Dumbledore even showed the slightest bit of improvement.

"Coming," Harry shouted as he glanced back.

"Hug goodbye?" Sirius asked, his arms out in invitation, his last one hadn't been well received so hopefully this one would be at the very least.

"As long as you don't try to suffocate me this time," Harry laughed, wrapping his arms around Sirius' midsection in a quick hug goodbye.

Sirius held on tightly, not wanting to let him go, Merlin he was so glad he was alive, these past days were the worst in his life, even Azkaban paled in comparison to the heartache he'd experienced with the news that his godson was gone. He owned Snape everything, he doubted they'd ever be friends, too much had happened in he past for that, but maybe, just maybe they could be acquaintances if he could do as Remus suggested and keep his calm. He reluctantly let him go, breathing deeply, his godson was leaving, going to the other side of the world…just after he got him back again, it wasn't fair but he reminded himself sternly that he was alive that was the most important thing, he repeated the mantra Remus had roared at him earlier, he was alive that's all that mattered.

"Come on then, let's get back," Sirius said, before the two of them were going back in the direction they came, as always Luna followed without needing to be told.

"Ready, dad," Harry said, kneeling down and clutching Luna close, "Stay still, no matter what." he murmured into her fur, if anything happened to her it would kill him. He loved her so much; she'd been with him since for as long as he could remember.

"Take care of yourselves," Filius said, giving them a wave as Severus grasped a hold of both Luna and Harry while Talin had a grip of his upper arm and touching the Portkey.

"You also, it was nice to meet you, hopefully we will meet again, under better circumstances," Talin said giving his own farewell.

"You bet," Filius said nodding eagerly, he had plans to stay in touch with Talin, he was very knowledgeable, and he hadn't been challenged quite so well in a long time. Albeit a great deal of the time they'd been discussing Hogwarts and everything else in-between when it came to the school.

Then just like that the Portkey activated, and they were gone.

Sirius sighed forlorn, his eyes glimmering sadly in the place he'd last seen Harry.

"Don't worry about it so much, he has the mirror he'll be able to call you, talk to you." Remus said, gripping his shoulder in sympathy.

"Mirror?" Filius enquired curiously.

Minerva pursed her lips, she knew what they were talking about having been their Head of House and given them plenty of detentions with her. "They have mirrors they use to communicate with each other, James had one and Sirius had the other, they used them during detention when they were split up. It is a genius invention I must admit, but it broke the rules." she gave them a pointed look.

"We must discuss these mirrors," Filius demanded in awe.

"Um, sure, Remus will remember it better though," Sirius replied amused, making the mirrors was a happy memory, thus the Dementors had affected it.

"Sirius?" Harry's voice was heard.

"Oh dear," Minerva said looking around before realizing where it had come from and realizing, that had been a hell of a fright.

"Harry! They work then!" Sirius said smugly, the background was very bright and cheerful, not something he was used too.

"Yes, I just wanted to try it! They're really cool, I'm going to go see my friends…how do you shut them off?" he realized wide eyed.

"Just say dea-ctivate, as one word," Sirius explained grinning widely, perhaps he hadn't lost his godson after all. He heard Talin laughing in the background.

"I must invest in these, my sons would love them, and my daughter would love a pair as well," Talin mused, leaning over, so he could be seen in the small mirror. "Protean charm?" he summarised.

"Yes, along with three other spells," Remus went on to explain the three charms, what they were for and how to best enhance them. One obviously stopped the mirror from breaking easily, but not indestructible due to the spell not being invented in his time. Other so they could see each other clearly and one for sound and activation charms. "That's it; they'll work perfectly together, if I had thought about it back then I would have added an Impervius charm as well,"

"And you bought the mirrors they weren't transfigured?" Talin enquired, "I have found things react different to transfigured objects." he elaborated at their uncomprehending faces.

"I bought them," Sirius nodded, "From the odd and end store in Diagon Alley, they've not been touched in years so they're a bit grimy." what a sight they must make, Filius, Minerva and Remus as well as himself all crouched down beside a small mirror talking into it - if anyone saw them they would think they're insane. The lime coats from St. Mungo's would come a-knocking.

"Will using a spell to clean them magically cause interference?" Severus joined in the conversation but still couldn't be seen.

"I don't know," Remus was the one who spoke.

"We can just do it without magic, dad, some bleach will get rid of it," Harry said thoughtfully. "Muggle stuff won't interfere with spells since it has no magic to do it."

"Very true, let Luna out to see the others, I can hear them howling from here," Severus demanded from wherever he was outside of the view of the mirror. "You can talk to Sirius after you've seen your friends and settled back in."

"I have to go now, bye everyone!" Harry said, "Deactivate," and the mirror they were looking at went blank.

"See," Remus pointed out smugly, it had been his idea to give the mirror to Harry.

"It seems I have a set of mirrors to go and buy, you really should have patented those items boys," Filius said still amazed.

"It is a good way to make money isn't it?" Sirius said speculatively, just because a few friends knew, it didn't mean they couldn't make money with it, and he knew Filius well enough to know he would respect their rights and not reveal how they're made if they did decide to make it a business venture. Sliding the mirror in his pocket to keep it safe.

Remus fully relaxed, he was glad Harry hadn't waited too long to get in touch with Sirius. He'd been so worried about Harry not wishing to remain in touch with him. Now Sirius could actually focus on something else, for however long that lasted. He had a feeling they'd be visiting St. Lucia soon. If he was honest he wanted to as well, he wanted to meet the other werewolf cubs that Harry had told him about. Luna was just one of the pack, she'd been pushed aside for the cubs that would survive, it was a shame but how it worked in the wild. Any animal that wouldn't survive wasn't given the time of day. Thankfully Harry had saved the poor creature from its fate and bonded to it. A wolf familiar, an intelligent one too since they had near human intelligence.

Meanwhile half way around the world…

"Go on then, Luna!" Harry said opening the back door gleefully, already feeling better he was back home.

"Goodbye, Harry," Talin called out, it was time for him to return home and see his own kids, who he had missed like crazy the past few days.

"Bye, Headmaster!" Harry replied, quickly removing the cloak it was much too warm for it now. He placed it on one of the chairs in the kitchen.

"Harry you know where those go, either put it in your room or on the coat rack," Severus admonished gently, "I'll make us something to eat soon." the urge to ask what was in the bag was very strong. The urge won, "What did Sirius give you?"

"A mirror, some letters from my mum and father, and a shrunk motorbike, I'm going to put it with my collection, both of them." Harry told him with a smile.

"A motorbike?" Severus wanted to strangle Black.

"Yes," Harry said emptying everything out noticing a few other things amongst the collection.

"You are not to use it under any circumstances," Severus warned, "Do not un-shrink it in the house either."

"I won't dad, I promise," Harry swore, he wasn't going to listen to Sirius and get himself grounded.

"If you wish we could put it in the shed," Severus told him, he would actually prefer that. "If you try and use it the noise would probably scare the wolves," now that would ensure Harry didn't do anything silly like try and ride it.

"I think I'll keep it like this and put it with my figure collection, is that okay, dad?" Harry questioned as he held it up.

"Good idea," Severus replied, putting everything they'd used in the wash, with the exception of the newly acquired clothes for cooler weather. Those would be folded up and placed in the side of the wardrobe; they certainly wouldn't be used here. By the time that was done, Harry was already out of the kitchen, everything including the cloak gone. Nodding in approval, he removed the bread from the bin; it was still fresh due to the charm he placed on it, good. Ham sandwiches would do them well enough.

"Welcome back Master Severus!" called the Heather beaming at him, "Will we make you something to eat?" seeing what her Master was doing.

"Thank you, and no, I'm just making something quick, but you can make dinner later, something filling," Severus replied giving her a slight smile. They hadn't had a properly cooked meal in a few days, take away and food from a pub just wasn't the same. "Luna has already had something but put some meat out for her," he added, he doubted what he bought earlier had been enough.

"I will do that right away," the House-elf said nodding eagerly, a few days without anything to do had been tough for them, but they'd persevered now their humans (their family) was back.

* * *

><p>There we go :) what did you think? Will things work out for Sirius now that he realizes he cant just click his fingers and make it so or will he screw up a few times before getting it right? I always said I didn't want Horcruxes in this story, but how about Sirius finding out after going after and finding Peter Pettigrew? having them deal with the Horcruxes but remember they'll barely be mentioned and Harry won't be one his mothers sacrifice did it in this and that's it! I just want to stay away from Horcruxes with this...tbh its getting tiresome having the hunts etc...in all my stories... I guess it also depends on how I have Voldemort return...gaining the Philosopher stone? through the diary? or resurrecting himself with Crouch Junior when Harry's fourteen and completed his education and working on his mastery? Will they be put into the tournament with Talins urging that it would be a way to prove Hogwarts school isn't all that? (under Harrison Regis or snape of course without being found out as a Potter) or will Harry return to take care of Voldemort before going back home with his dad? R&amp;R please hopefully you're still enjoying the story and its not getting boring with the fact Harry isn't going to Hogwarts and all that!<p> 


	46. Chapter 46

Fixing Past Mistakes

Chapter 46

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><p>"JOSH!" Harry hollered down the beach when he saw his best friend who was just getting out of the water and putting his surfing board beside his stuff. His mum had told him where he was, so he'd come to find him. He couldn't wait to make those mirror things, they were going to be awesome when he was done with them.<p>

"Harry!" Josh yelled out when he saw him, "You're back!" he commented as he raced up to him, "What was it like?" he had of course been told Harry was leaving for Great Britain for a few days on holiday. He shook the sand out of his hair as he spoke, a wide grin on his face. Noticing that he had been playing with his ability again, his eyes were different and he looked a little more like his dad than usual, his normal eye colour was green its how he really knew.

"Where's Dylan?" Harry commented, looking around for their third friend, they rarely went anywhere without each other, with the obvious exception being classes or if one was sick or grounded. The sun beating down on him was amazing; the colder weather in the UK had been horrible, even with the warm clothes keeping him cosy - or as cosy as they could at any rate.

"He's at the healers," Josh informed him, wandering back over to his spot to gather up his stuff, his bag, and towel and of course his surf board.

"What happened?" Harry asked concerned.

"Quidditch accident, he broke his wrist, he's just going back to make sure he's mended, you know how his mum is," Josh chortled in amusement, shaking his head. Dylan's mum was one of the most overprotective mothers on the face of the planet, none could compare to her. Although his own mum could probably take that spot since he was an only child. Dylan's mum April was a part time Medi-witch like his own mum, worked on the same ward, so there was that reason for taking him back to make sure it healed properly.

"Ouch, what happened?" Harry wondered, "Tell me everything!"

"Um, we won, Dylan pulled a Wronski Feint got too close to the ground and lost control, but he pulled through." Josh explained, as they both walked along the beach.

"Why was he playing the seeker?" Harry blinked he'd only been a few days what had he missed?

"Jason is off sick, wizarding flu, so he's going to miss the next game probably, and with you gone Dylan volunteered as the seeker, Latisha is a better chaser than a seeker so she took up Dylan's usual spot." Josh told him. "She's really good; she definitely has to play when Jason leaves the team after this year is up."

"I can't believe I missed it!" Harry groaned, sounded like a hell of a game.

"We've played against better than the gold phoenixes," Josh snorted in amusement before wryly admitting, "But it was a good game, lasted four hours. We won two hundred and fifty to one hundred and thirty. Yasmin was at her best, she worked hard to keep them from letting anything through those hoops."

"You'll never guess what I saw on holiday! Do you remember those walkie talky things we had when we were seven?" Harry said black eyes gleaming.

"Um…sure," Josh replied, somewhat take aback by the topic.

"Well my godfather had these mirrors, where you can actually talk into them and see each other no matter the distance; it's a simple charm, a protean one." Harry gushed, back in the UK the protean charm was anything but easy to cast. "All you need to do is say the name into the mirror and deactivate to shut them off! It's like the Floo network but much easier!"

"A protean charm doesn't work like that does it?" Josh asked his eyes alright in wonder; he definitely had to try it out.

"There are a few others on it, but I want to make it work three ways, so we can all have one, it might be a bit more difficult than just two." Harry admitted "It's going to be so much fun getting them to work!" excitement thrummed through him. "How long will Dylan be?"

"He's staying at the hospital with his mum until her shift ends," Josh replied, "We'll have to wait until after dinner."

"I wonder if our books will have all the charms we need," Harry said thoughtfully, "Come on, dad has hundreds; if they're not in mine I'm sure dad will let us read his ones."

"We've already done the protean charm, it's in our last year books, so that's one down, do you have a list of the spells you need?" Josh rushed to ask, as they began walking faster towards Harry's house, which thankfully was only five minutes away from the beach, unlike Josh's, whose was ten to fifteen minutes depending on whether they walked or sprinted.

"Yeah, he told me," Harry revealed, nodding vigorously.

"Wait…godfather? You never told me you had a godfather! How come I've never seen him?" Josh back peddled when he realized what Harry had said.

"I never saw him until a few days ago either," Harry commented idly, "He was in prison,"

"You're godfather was in prison?" Josh exclaimed, "What did he do? Murder someone?" he added jokingly.

"They thought he had," Harry informed him, "Fourteen people they thought he killed, thirteen Non-magicals and one wizard, and that he was responsible for the murder of two other people indirectly."

"Bloody heck!" Josh whistled, "How did they find out it wasn't him?"

"A will, someone used the Fidelius Charm and the will was just read…he spent near enough ten years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, acts like a…well someone our age." Harry laughed shaking his head, "He's a nutcase, and he tried to get me to ride a motorbike without telling my dad."

"Is he trying to get you in trouble?" Josh's eyes went wide. Harry's dad would blow a gasket if he tried something like that, hell he could imagine his own parents reaction, they went mental when he pulled stunts on his broom never mind a motorbike.

"That's what I thought," Harry chucked, "But I just don't think he you know…thinks things through."

"So where is he? Still back in the UK?" Josh asked as he wiped his feet and thumped his shoes against the door before toeing them off, it was something he always did whether he visited Harry's or went home, his mum didn't want a trail of sand, dirt or whatever was on his shoes going through the house. He picked them up and wandered in as Harry opened the door, putting them aside the coat rack along with his bag and surfboard.

"Dad I'm back! I brought Josh with me," Harry said as he put his cloak on the rack.

"So I hear," Severus replied wryly, "Are you staying for dinner?" he asked Josh intently. "Heather is making your favourite." he added as if food wasn't incentive enough.

"I'd love to Mr. Regis," Josh replied, smiling at him.

"Good, let your parents know," Severus said pointedly, Jill was overbearing in some ways, in needing to know where her son was at all times, not that he thought being overbearing was a bad thing, he liked to know where his son was as well. Just knowing that Luna would sense any distress from Harry caused his 'overbearing' ways to calm down over the years.

"Is it okay if I use the Floo?" Josh perked up, hoping he wouldn't have to run home.

"Very well," Severus replied, gesturing towards the fireplace.

"Can me and Josh go to the shops?" Harry asked, "We want to make the mirrors, for all three of us, we're going to do some research too," he explained further almost hopping on the spot, a pleading look on his face. He knew he'd won though; his dad always supported him when he wanted to do something academically. He let him fail on his own, helped him if he asked for it, and always made sure to tell him he was proud, and that was the reason Harry loved his dad so much.

"Most of the shops will be closing," Severus pointed out, but ultimately caving at the look on Harry's face. "Be back in time for dinner, straight there and back no detours and be careful." any accidents and the mirrors would break.

"I will," Harry nodded vigorously.

"Tanya's store will have what you're looking for," Severus added thoughtfully, "If she's closed, Derek will surely have something." it was a close nit community, it showed that even Severus knew the names of the people who ran the shops instead of saying the names of the stores themselves. Even in Diagon Alley he didn't know their names unless you counted Madam Malkin's and the potions apothecary as _all_ the stores.

"I need to get some mice for Mishi, too we're running low," Harry added, "I'll be right back!" he said to Josh who had now removed his head from the Floo network.

"I told mum I was staying for dinner," Josh told 'Septimus', "She says its okay, dads going to come and pick me up after and she says to say hi,"

"Good," Severus replied, "Now I better inform the House-elves," standing up he wandered through to the kitchen to let them know unlike most House-elves his own had learned not to go too overboard, it was a waste of food and he didn't like wasting it. Not that meat ever got wasted in this house, if it was ever about to turn it would just be thrown outside and the wolves have at it.

Josh turned from listening to Septimus talking to the House-elves to Harry when he heard him thumping down the stairs. "Got it?"

"Yep!" Harry chirped in agreement, waving his wallet as proof.

"I think I have my money with me," Josh said walking towards his bag and grabbing it, raking inside of it in search of the wallet. He couldn't remember whether he'd put it in or not, he just remembered seeing it at the house before he went out. He should have done since he'd planned on getting some sweets and ice cream before going home - not that his mother would have ever found out that tiny detail. "AHA!" he explained pulling it out triumphantly.

"I'll be right back," Harry said moving towards the kitchen, sticking his head around the door, "I'm going now dad!"

"Be careful," Severus stated sternly, "And remember there and straight back."

"I will, bye dad!" Harry was quick to leave the house after that.

Severus watched him go, his shoulders relaxing unconsciously; he had thought that when he told Harry that he would be forever changed by what he learned. Who wouldn't be? No matter how strong and independent the person was, learning such news at the age of eleven would change them. The past few days certainly gave credence to his theory, but a few hours back home he was pretty much back normal, there were no stress lines, moods or quietness. He prayed it continued that familiar ground and a few chosen projects would help Harry completely.

"Septimus?" a familiar voice called from the fireplace.

"April, what can I do for you?" Severus enquired, making himself known by stepping in front of the fireplace.

"Welcome back, Dylan's getting bored here at the hospital, he wanted to go see Josh, but Jill said he was with you…I hope I am not asking too much or imposing, especially since you just got back…Dylan would like to come over, if he can of course, my shift is only for another hour at most, and then I'll come get him, he wont need dinner." she said quickly, looking guilty even from the fire.

"Josh is already here, yes, what's one more? There will be enough food to go around, it's not a problem." Severus replied smoothly, and it wouldn't surprisingly for boys they were quite quiet, always reading or experimenting with one thing or another. He had no problem allowing both boys here, he rarely had to tell them to keep it down, in fact he would say he'd only had to tell them around ten times in all the years he'd been here. He was curious as to why Dylan had been at the hospital anyway, it wasn't the norm, she didn't normally take Dylan with her to work, and he usually went to his aunts if both his parents were working on occasion. They mostly always made sure one of them was there for Dylan after he'd gone home from after school club.

"Oh, thank you," April sighed out her relief, having a bored petulant pre-teen with you while you work hadn't been the best idea something she'd realized all too soon. "I'll send him through momentarily!" she added, giving him a grateful smile before she disappeared.

Severus sighed, it was definitely going to be a very long day, there was four hours time difference between Britain and St. Lucia, of course Britain being further on than St. Lucia. In essence he was going to be up four more hours than usual, that's if he didn't end up going to bed early, which he was hoping would be a big possibility. Judging by how exuberant Harry was over his latest obsession, his pet project, he didn't think that would happen. He had no doubt Harry would get it working the way he wanted it, he was smart, dedicated and determined. Three ways mirrors, it wouldn't take Harry longer than a few days, depending on which additional spells he put on it, and he would. He also believed Talin was creating them as well, if it was patented it could becoming more popular than the Floo network, it would cut the travelling by eighty percent, the Floo power business would find it difficult he'd bet. Who would Floo when you can get in touch with the people you wish with a name call? Without the dirty networks, the fear of getting lost (and yes many people refused to Floo terrified they'd get lost in the network someone had called it Floophobia he believed) and of course kneeling into a fire when you can get a clear picture of who you're talking to, see them and no matter how far? Perhaps it would be a good idea to suggest it, Remus surely could use the money that would come from it - and he couldn't consider it charity. He may no know a lot about the werewolf, but he knew he absolutely loathed charity of any kind. The problem was he shouldn't need charity, Remus might be a half-blood like himself, but he should have had a fortune to live off, the Lupin's had been wealthy once upon a time. He had no idea what had happened to it, but judging from what he'd heard over the years he would guess Lupin's father had squandered it hopelessly looking for a cure for lycanthrope.

"Hi, Mr. Regis!" Dylan chirped as he exited the fireplace, a relieved look on his face. He was absently flattening his blonde locks that just passed his ears. He'd began growing it out a year ago, it was nowhere near as long as Harry's (not counting his ability to make his hair any length he wanted through his Metamorphamagus abilities of course) his stocky build made him look older than just eleven years old although not by much just a year or so.

"Good evening, Dylan, the boys are currently at the shops, do you have any homework to do?" Severus enquired, concealing a smile at the disgruntled look that appeared on the child's face.

"Just maths," Dylan replied.

"Do you need help?" Severus asked, always willing to help when it came to ensuring academic success.

"No sir, I'll be fine," Dylan promised.

"Very well, why not get it done so you can help the boys when they return?" Severus suggested, but it was more of a demand and Dylan evidently understood that.

"Yes sir!" Dylan agreed, moving towards the kitchen where they always did their homework when they were here. Sliding his bag from his shoulders, he removed his homework, and sat himself down determined to get it all done. Harry and Josh had theirs done with both their dads being teachers and all. The smell of food wafting from the cookers had him looking up to see the House-elves cooking their meals. Giving her a grin, he returned to his work, hoping that Harry and Josh weren't going to be too long. He couldn't wait to hear all about Britain and what it was like.

"Would you like something to drink?" Heather asked, her big green eyes gazing at the child, she'd seen him grow up just as she had seen Master Harry grow up, they were all friendly, and none of them made unreasonable demands or hurt them. It wasn't often that happened, even Master James had been hurtful towards them when he was young, bearing the brunt of his pranks until he went to Hogwarts. They'd never told the parents, their older Masters for fear of retribution. Not many wizards or witches had cared about their House-elves feelings, but here and now she'd endure it all again just to be here. She and the others all felt part of the family; their little master still gave them gifts at Christmas each year.

"Can I have some apple juice, please?" Dylan enquired since he was being asked, he always felt odd asking the House-elves for anything especially since they didn't belong to him. His parents didn't have one, but he was used to them being here.

"Coming right up, Dylan," she said, she had his permission to use his name, or rather Harry had told them to use their names and not call them sir all the time years ago.

* * *

><p>"Those are kind of small don't you think?" Josh commented idly, as they stared at the small compact mirror they had in their hands.<p>

"Definitely," Harry nodded his agreement, he couldn't see his entire face in the mirror, really wasn't what they were looking for. "It would be handy to carry around though, for sure."

"Yeah," Josh agreed, "Come on I think these ones will be much better," he grabbed Harry and led them over to another selection.

"Do you think these are big enough?" Harry asked doubtfully.

"It depends," Josh replied, "I mean it would be big enough with a simple expanding charm, if it can be done on them." some items are incapable of being enlarged, with the spells that were previously put on them for whatever reason.

"Let's ask!" Harry said excitedly, wandering over to Tanya, "Hi, Tanya! Do these mirrors have the capability of being enlarged?"

"Yes, they do, but only a few inches." Tanya replied, smiling at the two teens, Harry's father frequented the store bringing Harry with him.

"Can you show us how much?" Harry asked, handing it over.

"Of course," Tanya replied, bending down, her tanned complexion glimmering in the sun, as she murmured quietly over the hand held mirror expanding it to show them. Tanya was well versed in Wandless magic having taken it while she was in school the very same school the boys now attended. When she wasn't working in the school she was attending international duelling circuits, she did very well for herself, in fact she'd even came second this year, she was hoping to come first place next year for the grand prize.

"What do you think, Josh?" Harry said taking it back; it was big enough that he just about struggled to keep it clutched in his left hand, but not too big that it was impossible.

"How much are they each?" Josh asked Tanya.

"One galleon and six sickles," Tanya informed them; happy to help since she knew neither of the boys were timewasters, like a few other children she could name. Not that she could get too annoyed, she remembered her own youth very well.

"I'll go get another two," Josh told Harry, ambling away.

Harry opened his wallet and removed a gold coin and six silver ones before handing them over. He didn't have much left, he wanted to get a book before his money ran out, so he was definitely going to the bookstore next then the pet shop for food for Mishi, she'd given him a scolding when he went in, she hadn't been out of her tank for a few days making her grouchy. "That's for this one," Harry added to her.

"Do you want them wrapped up? Put back to normal?" Tanya asked, her hand automatically going to the thick paper they used to wrap items up.

"Just wrapped please," Harry answered, glancing back to see where Josh had gotten too, only to see him coming back up with two additional mirrors.

"Can you make these bigger and wrap them too?" Josh asked digging into his own wallet, paying for his own and Dylan's. "He's definitely paying for this," he couldn't help but grumble as he handed over all but a few sickles of his allowance.

Harry laughed, "You get more money tomorrow," he pointed out grinning widely. Unlike him he didn't get his again until Friday. "I want to go to the bookstore and get that book on Alchemy before I go home."

"Your dad said no detours," Josh pointed out; playing Harry wasn't going to having him running around for hours.

"Well how about you go get Mishi's treats and I go to the bookstore and meet in the middle?" Harry suggested thoughtfully.

"You don't want live mice do you?" Josh asked before agreeing.

"Frozen," Harry said, "So?"

"Alright," Josh agreed, anything to get home he'd been surfing for hours before Harry found him; he just wanted to sit down for longer than a few moments.

"Here you go boys," Tanya said handing over the bag of items they'd just purchased.

"Thanks Tanya!" Harry said as Josh added, "Bye Tanya!"

"Be careful with those boys," she said waving them off a fond smile on her face but as the door closed behind them she buried her nose back in her duelling demonstrated magazine.

"Meet up at Tran sweet shop?" Josh queried.

"Yep!" Harry nodded his agreement giving more than enough over for the frozen mice for Mishi. "If you want to get a sweet get one, but don't get any for me."

"I never say no to that!" Josh grinned widely before running off.

Harry shook his head as he hurried for the store, after the past few days he felt like he could use something to lose himself in. He already felt better, he just felt a little bit sorry for Sirius, and he'd been through a lot. He just couldn't understand why he would think for a second he'd leave his best friends in the entire world, his school, his life, his familiar, and his familiars' family to go live in Britain and for what? One person? Someone he didn't even know? No, that would never happen. He was happy here, even now knowing all the truth as he did. As always his dad was protecting him, and he couldn't get really angry about that.

Of course even now he was protected against the prejudice in Britain, he had no idea what those in the UK thought of those with the ability to speak to snakes. No real idea what they would expect from Harry, although quite frankly what Harry was is what they would expect, at least according to them, not those in St. Lucia. Here Harry was considered advanced for his age in some classes, and doing well in others, in Britain they would consider him a prodigy in all ways.

Harry made a beeline for the Alchemy section, browsing for the one he wanted. He shrived just remembering the poem his dad had said, all those people attending his funeral as if he was some sort of god. Had it been the same for his parents? Had they gotten that kind of recognition too? He hoped so since he was with his dad in the belief that his mum was really the one who stopped the dark wizard if anyone deserved it - it would be them.

"Aha," Harry exclaimed grasping a hold of the book and removing it from the shelf, looking at the back to see the price, whooping quietly, he had just enough to buy it.

"Back again already, Harry?" teased Brian, looking up from his own book.

"Hey, Bri!" Harry said cheerfully as he put the book in front of Sam, Brian's father who owned the store.

"Looking forward to school starting back up?" Brian enquired.

"Yup! There are dozens of things I want to look up in the school library!" Harry explained, mostly Alchemy based and his dad didn't have many books on that subject so he didn't ask.

"What's wrong with the public library?" Brian asked, putting his bookmark in his page so he didn't lose his space as he spoke to Harry.

"I'd rather buy them than get them from that library, plus there selections are lacking in some areas," Harry admitted ruefully.

"Five galleons, Harry," Sam said after he'd carefully wrapped the book up.

"Yeah, you should see their Quidditch section; it's probably the biggest one of the lot!" Brian agreed wryly.

Harry handed the money over as he nodded vigorously in agreement. "I know!" he only had three books on Quidditch, one was Quidditch through the ages, one was the first ever publication magazine of Quidditch weekly he'd gotten as a bargain in a car boot sale and another was on the moves like the Wronski feint. "I'll see you on Monday?"

"Yeah, see you then, Harry!" Brian said waving him away.

"Bye!" Harry replied once more before he and his book were making for the exit, it was time to catch up with Josh and head home and get those mirrors charmed to work the way they wanted them.

* * *

><p>Okay guys, lets just make a few things clear, the chance of Harry ever being friends with Ron and Hermione are slim to none in this story okay? that's running on canon Ron and Hermione ... Ron can't stand anyone that's slightly smart and Hermione cannot tolerate anyone doing better than her in class...not that Harry would be in classes with them if the tri-wizard gets the go ahead in the story but I think i'm warming up to the idea :) I just need to decide on the whole Horcrux thing before Sirius catchs Pettigrew I'm thinking just the one so he can be resurrected because I honestly do want to stay away from horcrux hunting even if its just the others (maurauders, Filius and Minerva) now that the story has caught up Ill also need to decide what becomes of Dumbledore although the thought of Harry being under his nose and him oblivious does make me grin savagely :D if the tournament is to go ahead there might need to be a few time skips but before that happens is there anything you want to see? more mishi the snake time? actually seeing the difference in the reactions to snake language being spoken in ? and them seeing how say Sirius reacts when he finds out? I'm glad you're all still enjoying the story so much R&amp;R please guys! oh i'd love some ideas on Harry's Quidditch teams name :) has to be a magical animal since they're magical themselves lol<p> 


	47. Chapter 47

Fixing Past Mistakes

Chapter 47

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><p>"Found it!" Dylan exclaimed, from where he sat on Harry's desk chair, they were in his bedroom, holding up his book triumphantly, and it was the last spell they would need to complete the mirrors - if it worked but the boys had done their research thoroughly, they were around ninety percent sure it would work.<p>

"Then we've got them all," Harry said grinning, absently stroking Mishi who was curled up on at the top of the bed with him, Josh sat at the bottom, more than enough room for them all now that Harry had a double bed. She still had a large lump where she'd consumed her prey earlier; it was a testament to how used to the sight they were that Josh and Dylan didn't even blink anymore. "Do you think we should put it to the test?"

"Definitely!" Dylan replied, scooting his chair closer so they could do it together.

"Just think…if we all lived in the UK we couldn't do stuff like this," Josh said, still reeling from that particular titbit that Harry had revealed when he spoke about everything he'd seen or learned while on holiday - or so they thought. Harry was of course leaving a large part of what happened out, everything to do with 'Harry Potter' the funeral and of course, edited information about Sirius Black when it came to everything about the Potters. He didn't consider himself Harry Potter anyway, so it wasn't a hardship.

"Technically we could actually, Hogwarts is a boarding school, it doesn't have the option of coming home like ours," Harry pointed out grinning wryly.

"You think we would have been at Hogwarts?" Dylan snorted, "With our parents? I don't think so!" they would have been home schooled for sure.

"Well everyone there seems to think it's the best and safest school," Harry admitted, his lips pursed, "I can't agree or disagree really, I didn't attend, but taking the title best school is going too far, I would pick ours every time,"

"As would I," Josh nodded vehemently, "especially seen it true they only start learning at the age eleven!" he'd read bits of the book while staying for dinner out of curiosity - he wanted to know more about this school. It was fascinating, sorting people into houses depending on their personality, Ravenclaw for those with a thirst for knowledge, Hufflepuff for the loyal, Gryffindor for the bold and brave and Slytherin for the ambitious and cunning. It didn't go into detail about how the sorting occurred though funnily enough, he'd had to ask Harry's dad and he just smirked at him and without preamble told him about this sorting hat they used. He still didn't like the idea of using a hat to determine where you go. He was smart, ambitious, and loyal, he could be more ambitious for now, then more loyal later, splitting you up according to personality he didn't feel it was right. He, Harry and Dylan were best friends, who had all different strengths, the thought of having been at Hogwarts and split up felt really wrong to him.

"Yeah, honestly I thought you were having me on when you told me about that yesterday," Dylan said aghast, he'd read it for himself stunned. He couldn't imagine just starting school at eleven, like right now, this year. "What do they do from the ages of four to eleven if they don't go to nursery or school?"

"Dad says the pureblood's get educated at home, mostly in Latin, maths, reading, and writing and taught the rules of etiquette." Harry answered shrugging his shoulders, "The ones with Non-magic parents sent their kids to primary school, they learn just the non-magical curriculum we do, maths, science, English, Home Economics, Craft and design the works then cut off all Non-magical education for a magical one at the age of eleven."

"Wait, are you telling me Hogwarts doesn't offer those classes?" Dylan managed to get out baffled more than anything; he'd sort of assumed they were all the same, the schools all around the world offered the same classes.

"I suppose you could consider Muggle studies a non-magical class," Harry conceded, gathering up the paper that had messily haphazardly thrown all over his bed, as Mishi hissed contently, wrapping herself around his neck like a piece of jewellery.

"So that's what it means?" Josh said shaking his head, "I've been wondering about that."

"Wondering about what?" Dylan enquired confused, slightly lost.

"Well the book mentioned Muggle or Muggles quite a lot," Josh replied.

"It's a name for Non-magicals in the UK," Harry confirmed Josh's earlier thoughts.

"That doesn't sound right," Dylan said, "Sounds kind of insulting doesn't it?"

"We've gotten way off topic, are we testing them here or down stairs?" Josh asked, nabbing the mirrors from Harry's drawers and putting them on the bed. Normally when they did new spells they had to do it down stairs in the kitchen or study under Harry's dad's supervision. That was usually for spells they did for their school projects though, and they were given forms that were for the parents to sign saying that they did the spell and did it without help or did it partially without help things like that. These spells weren't something they couldn't handle, in fact a few they had done in the past at school.

"Here's fine," Harry shrugged nothing offensive about the spells or dangerous. "I hope this works," they'd spent two days working on it and if it failed he knew they'd all be frustrated. "First one's first," he added plucking one and putting it straight in front of him.

"_What are you doing?__"_Mishi hissed curiously, her snake tongue peeking out, wondering at the spike of excitement in the room.

"_We__'__re doing some spells to get something to work,__"_Harry hissed, he honestly couldn't explain in a way for Mishi to understand, or perhaps he could. _"__It__'__s like the Floo, only I__'__ll be able to talk to Dylan and Josh through the mirrors instead of the fire.__"_

"_Much safer,__"_Mishi hissed her agreement, all of the 'S's' while she spoke sounding longer than any other letter.

"_Yes, it is,__"_Harry hissed out amused, scratching her head causing her to hiss in contentment.

"What's Mishi saying?" Josh asked, oh he wished he could understand them, it would be awesome if they were all parselmouth's, it would be like a secret language nobody else could understand. To be able to speak Parseltongue, it would be awesome; maybe one day he could invent a spell that lets him understand snakes or even all animals.

"Just asking what we're doing," Harry said shrugging his shoulders causing Mishi to hiss in complaint before beginning to slither away, moving towards Josh instead who barely paid any attention as the snake got comfortable on his lap he was positively buzzing with excitement, he really wanted this to work.

"Here we go," Dylan said rubbing his hands gleefully having to stop himself jumping around the room like a loon. "Protean charm first,"

"_Prothea_!" Harry murmured, flicking his wand in the directions stated in the book, and the beam of sky blue beam of light shot out of his wand and embraced the mirror, making it glow the same colour before dimming down once more until there was nothing left to indicate anything had been cast on it. "Prothea" was heard twice more, as Josh and Dylan both cast their own spells on the mirrors they were now claiming for their own.

"Now the second spell," Harry said, "_Infragilis_!" which was repeated by the others once more.

"Wait…did we find a spell to keep them clean?" Dylan enquired.

"Second piece of parchment, third spell," Josh said absently, not surprised Dylan hadn't heard he'd been so engrossed in the book he hadn't even twitched when he found the perfect charm and spoke about it with Harry. "It's the perfect one for the mirrors and won't interfere with the other charms."

"When did you do this?" Dylan asked bemused.

"Like five hours ago!" Josh chortled.

"_Expolitus_!" they quickly cast on their mirrors, and immediately all finger marks disappeared, and to test it, Harry pressed his thumb down and pressed up leaving a messy fingerprint, a few moments later they disappeared. "Brilliant!"

"What's next?" Dylan mused mostly to himself as he glanced at the parchment.

"Next is the tricky part, getting all three to work but individually, the activations," Harry said, his stomach felt full of butterflies, he was sure he had everything he needed to make it work, he was going to be so gutted if it didn't. "We'll have to do it once at a time, and wait a while so the activations don't pick up the other words."

"Well that would suck can you imagine it? That they would need our combined voices to work? Defeats the purpose of them doesn't it?" Josh told them before laughing, although he made sure not to move his legs around where Mishi still lay. Slightly domesticated or not, Mishi was a snake and she would strike out if she was startled, it was just instinct. Harry's dad had made that very clear every time they'd came to the house and went into Harry's room for years. He would go in before them make sure Mishi was in her enclosure, warn them then leave again. The one time Dylan had opened it he'd come into the room a few seconds after disappointed, they'd had to sit in the kitchen every time they came over after that for weeks before Harry's dad felt he could trust them again.

Harry and Dylan just shook their head grinning at their best friends words. "Right who wants to go first?"

"You go, it's your idea," Josh replied immediately, Dylan nodding eagerly, his blonde hair going with him.

"Alright, here we go," Harry said, taking a deep breath before he began. "_Prothea_! _Signum_! Harrison Regis," the spell shot out his wand and encased his mirror. "Give me yours Dylan," Harry asked accepting it and repeating the process on his then Josh's. Now all three of them were linked together, hopefully it would work.

"My turn," Dylan proclaimed ecstatically, the others automatically went silent, letting him do his part, using the same spells but of course using his name, Dylan Balewi as password to link them together. "Okay, now you, Josh." he added handing over his own.

"_Prothea_! _Signum_! Josh Lewis!" Josh repeated the spells and saying on all three mirrors.

"Now to test them," Harry murmured, "Josh Lewis! Am I appearing on only one?" Harry wanted to scramble over to see but held his place.

"Yup!" Josh let out an excited triumphant noise, it worked, and this was just bloody brilliant.

"Dylan Balewi!" Harry then said into the mirror.

Dylan scrambled around, being careful once he actually got there; he didn't want to startle Mishi. "This is so weird!" Dylan admitted, seeing Harry in both mirrors from the same perspective.

"Josh Lewis, Deactivate!" Harry tried out of curiosity, glancing at the boy to find him nodding, it had deactivated he was back to only seeing himself in the mirror.

"We did it!" Dylan cheered, "I can't wait to show my parents,"

Josh laughed, "Probably not a good idea, they'll take if off you before you go to bed to make sure you sleep," Josh teased, getting himself punched in the arm for his troubles. Josh just laughed harder, rubbing his sore arm as Dylan blushed but grinned smugly at his friend who was nursing his sore arm. "You need to lay off the karate,"

"You need to show up to practice more," Dylan argued back smartly.

"It was fun to begin with, but you have to admit its getting boring, we can do everything they're teaching us anyway, I prefer surfing," Harry chimed in, they were having to choose between surfing or defence class, they were at the same time so it was impossible to take both this year. Dylan preferred Karate while Josh and himself always chose surfing.

"Same could be said about surfing, has Aryan showed any new moves lately?" Dylan queried.

"Yes, we learned how to backwash properly, it was bloody amazing! He was so cool!" Josh replied.

"It was bumpy that day though," Harry said, "But he's right, it looked amazing, I'm going to show my dad these," he declared changing the subject.

"Bring up a biscuit Harry, I'm starving!" Josh begged to Harry's back but he was already out of sight.

Harry peered back suddenly, "Come down if you want something," giving them a teasing grin knowing they wouldn't, not this close to dinner, his dad rarely allowed him to eat anything sugary just before dinner, there was no way he would let his friends either.

"I'll pass," Josh bemoaned.

"DAD!" Harry yelled as he ran down the stairs.

"Where's the fire?" Severus asked, coming through to the living room from the kitchen gazing at his son in query.

"We did it! We actually did it!" Harry exclaimed, grinning widely as he showed them all, "All on our own!"

"Well done," Severus said proudly, "I knew you could do it, but there is nothing wrong with needing help, or asking for it." he pointed out just as he always did. He wondered if Harry had even contacted Sirius Black yet, well other than the brief time they had spoken when Harry returned to St. Lucia, he didn't think so.

"I know," Harry said, "We're hungry though, can I take a biscuit up for each of us?" chancing his luck.

"As it stands dinner will be twenty minutes later than usual, so yes, you may," Severus answered giving his son a wry knowing look. "Have you been in touch with Sirius?" he wanted to speak to Minerva about Dumbledore and Hogwarts, he wanted to know what was going on, had to know.

"No, not yet," Harry confirmed his dad's thoughts, shaking his head to emphasis that no he hadn't.

"I see," Severus answered, "Remember the boys are to go home for their dinner today," they'd stayed for dinner two days in a row, so he was definitely putting his foot down, he somehow didn't think it would be a problem anyway, since they're completed their little venture.

"I know, dad," Harry nodded his agreement; Dylan's mum had insisted he be home in time.

"And if you get in touch with Sirius Black or if he gets in contact with you, after you've spoken with him but before he goes, bring the mirror to me, I have a few things I'd like to discuss with him regarding several things." Severus asked of Harry, he didn't want to remain in the dark, and writing letters back and forth was certainly not ideal, although he could Floo over, but even that was risky, he didn't want anyone knowing where he was, and Floo networks within Hogwarts were recorded, just like phone calls. It might not give an exact location due to the fact his settings were set to private, but you couldn't conceal the country just the area.

"I will, I promise," Harry answered, before going through to the kitchen and rummaging through the biscuit tin, picking out three he placed the lid back on. "I'll put the books back after dinner." he added knowing his dad as well as he did he knew he'd want the house spotless.

"Good." Severus said smoothly, "I'll be in my lab if you need me."

"HARRY! Someone's talking in that old mirror of yours," Dylan shouted down, but kept it at a respectful volume.

"Be right up!" Harry called, knowing who it was he added, "I'll be down with it after," giving his dad a wave he quickly made his way upstairs, grinning at the surprised looks on their faces when he threw a chocolate biscuit at them.

"Hi Sirius!" Harry said lifting the mirror up, from the look of the areas surrounding Sirius he'd say they'd had dinner already. He was in a kitchen that was stacked with pots, pans and plates.

"Hey," Sirius said looking and sounding a bit tense.

"Are you okay?" Harry then asked, blinking at him curiously, his friends remained silent out of courtesy as they listened to the oddly accented man. They barely remembered when Severus had that accent they'd been young, and of course Harry sounded just like them having lived in St. Lucia his entire life.

"I'm good, so how are you?" Sirius asked, as always eager to talk about someone else other than himself. He'd had enough of talking about himself at the mind healers yesterday. Remus had made him an appointment and then quite literally forced him to go.

"Fine, I got my own mirrors to work! Dylan and Josh have one each they work on all three of them!" Harry informed him eagerly.

"Of course you did," Sirius said smugly, "Your dad was just as brilliant,"

Dylan and Josh shared a look, why say was didn't he mean is? It dawned on them pretty quickly that he must be meaning Harry's _father _not dad. They glanced at the night table where a picture of Harry's mum and first father was sitting in a frame. Along with a picture of Harry and Luna when Luna was just a few months old, then there was a picture of all three of them, along with Harry's snake and Luna sitting here in this room around three years ago, and a picture of Harry and his dad that had been snapped after a Quidditch match a year ago.

Harry just rolled his eyes; it was like speaking to a baby! "My dad wants to talk to you after," Harry emphasised the word, hoping to get through to him without explaining each time.

"Oh," was all Sirius said, and that single word said a hell of a lot.

"Um, Harry, she's squashing me," Josh squeaked out, not out of fear, but more along the lines of surprise.

"_MISHI!" _Harry hissed out, _"What are you doing? Stop that!" _

"_He's warm," _Mishi hissed out, whining in complaint, she was getting cold.

"_Come on, lets get you back to your tank," _Harry shook his head, putting the mirror down he moved over to Josh and unwrapped the snake from his best friend, before moving over to the tank and placing her within it, she immediately wrapped herself around one of the large stones that was kept warm by a spell she gave a relieved sigh and settled down again. "She was drawn to your body heat," he explained absently, moving back over. "Sorry about that…" he started saying into the mirror frowning, did they get stuck? Sirius wasn't moving the slightest.

"Sirius?" Harry said, shaking the mirror slightly, "Anyone there?"

"What is it? Do they freeze?" Josh enquired coming around, flicking his finger against the mirror curiously. "Maybe it's how far away you are?" he suggested.

"Maybe you should turn it off and on again?" Dylan suggested as well.

"Sirius?" Harry frowned when he noticed a small movement from his chest, he was obviously still there.

"What's wrong with him?" Josh said staring at the wizard in confusion; he too had noticed that it was still working.

"You're a parselmouth?" Sirius managed to get out his face full of shocked, terrified horror.

"Yup!" Harry said cheerfully, "I have a snake, her names Mishi, I've had her since I was four years old," not understanding why he was so horrified maybe it was because he had a snake and he hadn't realised he was a parselmouth? Well knowing that should calm him down.

"Y-y-y-you talk to snakes?" Sirius stuttered out, as if he hadn't even heard Harry's reply.

"Is he deaf?" Josh asked Harry concerned, "OR you know…hard of hearing?" one of their friends were so he wasn't being sarcastic just genuinely concerned.

"No, nothing like that," Harry whispered, "Yes, Sirius I can talk to snakes, are you sure you're alright?"

"Snakes," Sirius squeaked out, his eyes just staring into the mirror stunned the core. His mind just broke down, refused to work; he couldn't articulate anything, just repeating parselmouth over and over again like a broken record.

Harry shook his head, a sinking feeling in his gut, "I'm just going to give it to dad," hopefully his dad will have an explanation for Sirius' weird behaviour too. Maybe he had a phobia of snakes, or didn't like them after being bitten by one? But from what he knew of snakes, there were only a few that lived in the UK and none completely terrifying just garden snakes and adders.

"Afterwards can we go out the back and fly for a while? I'm bored!" Dylan said, he'd been reading for days they all needed something to do that wasn't sitting around.

"Count me in!" Josh said, "What do you think Harry?"

"Sure why not?" Harry agreed he was up for that.

"We'll go get our brooms," Dylan said eagerly, "We'll see you in ten!"

"Actually you'll be having your dinner first," Harry pointed out in amusement, laughing at them.

"What?" Dylan asked confused, glancing at the clock and his jaw dropped, "Bloody hell, I'm going to be late! I'll see you later!" he picked up his mirror a wicked grin on his face.

"I'll walk with you," Josh added, "We'll see you later, Harry!"

"Alright, meet up in an hour," Harry said as they made their way down the stairs, the boys said their goodbyes to 'Mr. Regis' before closing the front door behind themselves.

"Here, he's being weird again," Harry said handing over the mirror.

"_Silencio_!" Severus chanted over the mirror after sliding his wand from his forearm where it always remained like an extra limb, where he had also taught Harry to keep his wand - handy, ready should the occasion be needed. "What happened?" Severus asked, having a feeling he would be asking this a great deal now that Black was in Harry's life - well somewhat. It was like having to deal with a child, it was a sorry day when his eleven year old son was more mature than a wizard his own age - Azkaban or not.

"He heard Mishi I think, got freaked out over it. Is he scared of snakes?" Harry told his dad before sitting on the couch, turning the TV on, but turning the volume down while he spoke to his dad he'd been raised to have manners after all.

"Perhaps," Severus replied, deciding against telling Harry about how prejudice and terrified people were of his ability. Eleven years old was a self conscious stage in life, he didn't want Harry feeling as thought his abilities were wrong or bad. He also, wouldn't do the disserve of lying to his son. He never had and never would, it wasn't a good example to set, that and in the end you always get caught out and he never wanted to see the look on Harry's face if he ever caught him in one. "I'll be in my office," he added, deciding to take this to a more secure location.

"Okay," Harry said, turning the volume back up as his dad left the room, flicking through channels randomly until something caught his attention, it was a nature programme and he loved anything like that.

* * *

><p>"Black," Severus stated sharply, gazing into the mirror dispassionately, sitting in his chair, the large collection of his books behind him, the mirror was perched on top of a few on his desk.<p>

"He's…he…he's…he can talk to snakes?" Sirius continued.

"Cut it out!" Severus snapped, "He's always had the ability, and here he is respected for it, there is no prejudice fear here for him to live with. I will not have you telling him otherwise is that understood?"

"Fear? I'm not scared of Harry," Sirius vehemently denied.

"I mean it Black, one word and I will have this mirror smashed and there will be no further contact between you and my son." Severus knew him well enough to see he was lying through his teeth. He also saw the subtle wince when he referred to Harry as his son, had he made a mistake allowing Harry to come to Britain with him? Should he have gone alone and made sure Black and Harry had no contact?

"I am his godfather you have no right to decide that!" Sirius snapped, coming out of his shock and delving straight into indignant anger.

"Try me," Severus stated smoothly, having no qualms about doing such a thing.

Sirius gritted his teeth painfully, how he hated Snape with every iota of his being, well not really, he had saved Harry and that mattered the most. He just hated the fact Snape had his godson and he was half way across the world and happy about having such a dark gift. He certainly hadn't gotten that from the Potter line, Lily was a Muggle-born so Merlin only knows where he had gotten it from. Despite what Snape did, it didn't automatically wipe out all those years of animosity. If he kept up threatening him like that it was going to tip him over the edge, he was going to hate him more than he ever had before.

"Has Dumbledore made any progress?" Severus demanded if Dumbledore wasn't there perhaps he could risk a Floo call to Minerva.

"No, he's still in St. Mungo's they're preparing for the worst," Sirius eventually said after unlocking his jaw, it ached something fierce. "The public are crying for his blood, they want justice for what happened, or what they think happened. I am not sure if he will keep his title as Headmaster if he pulls through." feeling a little better to be talking about something else, something different.

"Good." Severus said, relaxing somewhat. "I'd hand you back to Harry, but I think its best you digest everything before you speak to him again. Just remember your partner is considered dark as well." with that final comment, Severus muttered "Deactivate." and Sirius Black's face disappeared, sighing softly, he pinched the bridge of his nose, well, hopefully that would do the trick.

* * *

><p>A few people think I should start a new story and end this one here what do you think? or rather as they went back to St. Lucia since that would be well rounded...that people don't really like long stories so...I don't know it's really up to you, I'm perfectly happy to start a new story if you like! and thank you so much for all the ideas for Harry's quidditch team :) I'll need to decide that soon since I think i'll have a Quidditch match appear between things I need done in the story :D let me all know what you think R&amp;R<p> 


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